The European Union (EU) and l’Agence Française de Développement (AFD) signed an agreement on 30 November 2023 that will provide 10 million euros of EU funds to the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) for nature-based solutions to climate change in the Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot. 

The new funding from the EU—one of CEPF's six global donors—builds on their previous donations to CEPF totaling US$33.5 million. The donation will complement the US$38 million, 10-year investment in the hotspot from the Green Climate Fund that also flows to CEPF via AFD—another of CEPF's six global donors. 

In addition to the EU and AFD, CEPF's global donors include Conservation International, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan, and the World Bank.

The new funds will enable local communities and civil society organizations in Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius and Seychelles to protect, manage and sustainably restore critical natural ecosystems, and drive improved integration of biodiversity and ecosystem services into public policies at national and subnational levels, and into business practices.

The signing marked the first step in delivery of the new investment. The next step will be the signing of an agreement between AFD and Conservation International that will transfer the funds to CEPF. 

"CEPF thanks the European Union and AFD for their continuing partnership in support of biodiversity conservation and nature-based solutions to climate change," said Olivier Langrand, executive director of CEPF. "The new funding will allow CEPF's grantees to build on conservation results being achieved in the region at a time when healthy, biodiverse ecosystems and civil society leadership are urgently needed to address climate change."