At the Nature Positive in Asia: Driving Biodiversity Gains through Digital Innovation and Finance forum held on 22 May 2025 at the Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn Bangkok, leaders from prominent international organizations convened to chart a transformative path for biodiversity and sustainable development in Asia. The event underscored the critical role of finance and technology in addressing the region’s mounting ecological challenges and advancing inclusive, nature-positive solutions.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reaffirmed its commitment to bridging global policy frameworks with regional action. By leveraging digital technologies for biodiversity data collection, analysis, and transparency, UNDP is empowering local and Indigenous communities with access to data and digital sovereignty. The agency also emphasized the urgent need to strengthen Asia’s digital infrastructure to ensure equitable participation and knowledge-sharing.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) spotlighted the power of finance as a lever for systemic change, advocating a dual-track approach of “greening finance and financing green.” Through policy engagement and on-the-ground implementation, WWF is working to redirect capital flows toward activities that restore ecosystems and account for environmental risks, fostering a resilient and nature-aligned economy.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) played a catalytic role in promoting regional financial cooperation for biodiversity. By fostering dialogue among policymakers, investors, and financial institutions, ADB supports the development of innovative financial instruments such as green bonds, biodiversity credits, and blended finance models—tools designed to unlock sustainable investment at scale across Southeast Asia.
The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) brought forward its support for evidence-based investment strategies by commissioning targeted research on biodiversity finance in the region. AFD highlighted the importance of integrating nature-related risks into mainstream financial decision-making, recognizing this as a cornerstone of long-term sustainable development.
At the national level, Sustainism Initiatives (stnsm.org) served as a strategic partner in convening Session 5: 14:15 – 16:00 | Unlocking Biodiversity Finance: Insights from Thailand – Thai Public Bank Roundtable Discussion. This high-level dialogue provided a platform for Thailand’s public financial institutions to share their roles in closing investment gaps and supporting nature-positive outcomes. By inviting the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) and Krungthai Bank (KTB) to the discussion, Sustainism Initiatives helped facilitate the exchange of strategies for aligning public finance with biodiversity goals. The session marked an important step toward fostering collaborative ecosystems between government, finance, and development sectors—advancing an inclusive financial architecture that places nature at the heart of Thailand’s sustainable future.