Insights
Nature for Justice Blog
Stories. Plans & Initiatives. Results.
Vision & Approach
A Summer Internship Experience at Beverly Bowens Farm
By Briggs Oldham This summer, three North Carolina State University students participated in Nature For Justice’s pilot internship – Regenerative Farming with BIPOC Farmers. For
Insights from a Co-Creation Process
Cyril Lombard and Madumezulu Silinda (Biotrade Ventures) tell us about their recent project partnership with Nature For Justice in the beautiful Limpopo region, Southern Africa:
Safeguards: The Importance of Robust Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) For Climate Justice
Nature For Justice (N4J) has expanded its offerings in pursuit of climate justice for frontline communities to include specialized training programs that encompass in-depth Free,
Reflections on Terra Global Capital’s “Best Practices for Delivering a Just Transition through NbS Climate Finance”
Terra Global Capital’s paper Best Practices for Delivering a Just Transition through NbS Climate Finance describes the historical origins of the “Just Transition” and how,
The Nature-based Solution Ecosystem
The nature-based solution ecosystem for generating carbon credits is currently unbalanced and needs fixing. Investments to align various parts of the ecosystem, such as donor
Origination: The Importance of Designing Beyond Carbon
Bring the Focus Back to the People When creating a Nature-based Solution project, carbon should not be the first priority, but the last. That means
Carbon Investors: A Development Paradigm Optimizes Success
In the realm of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) carbon projects, I’m still relatively green, having only started my journey in 2016. While I’ve successfully led and
Getting to “Shovel Ready” A Field Trip to Tanzania
This blog described a field visit by Nature for Justice’s Khulile Lamula to the project site led by Lima in Tanzania. It is an important
What’s Needed for More “Shovel-Ready” Carbon Projects
Despite the recent press slamming certain types of carbon credit projects, demand for high quality Nature-based Solution (NbS) voluntary carbon credits continues to grow. Independent
Making History with Black Farmers
At N4J, we know that a monumental transformation is taking place in our nation that will change our agricultural landscape on a massive scale –
7 Attributes of a Just Investor
Nature For Justice (N4J) is a social justice organization focused on supporting frontline communities experiencing the impacts of our changing climate. As our Annual Wrap-up
The Brown Family Farm: Building Resilience and a Legacy
(Part 2 of 2)
In June, the US Farmer Inclusion Team welcomed Patrick Brown as our new Director of Farmer Inclusion. As a fourth-generation farmer, farm manager of his
N4J in Africa: Growing from the Bottom Up
Over the past two years our Africa portfolio and pipeline of nature-based solutions (NbS) to climate change have grown significantly and our network of partners
Nature For Justice’s Farmer Inclusion Program: Ten Technical Impacts
“Patrick and N4J’s Program are helping us do things we haven’t done before in terms of improving the quality of the land, the quality of
The Challenges Facing Smallholder Farmers and Nature-Based Solutions
Challenges faced by smallholder farmers trying to adopt regenerative practices. One of the biggest challenges for smallholder farmers, in general – and also regarding adopting
The Brown Family Farm: Building Resilience & Legacy
(Part 1 of 2)
In June, the US Farmer Inclusion Team welcomed Patrick Brown as our new Director of Farmer Inclusion. As a fourth-generation farmer, farm manager of his
Climate Justice Additionality Defined
The Concept of additionality: The concept of climate justice additionality originates from the fields of climate finance and climate change mitigation. This notion emphasizes that
Our Focus: Communities and Project Integrity
Nature For Justice has engaged with hundreds of nonprofits, civil society groups, businesses, and communities of faith who work at the local level, most of
Best Practices In Creating and Leading Nature-based Solutions Projects
Admittedly, upfront, this is our take on what constitutes best practices when it comes to creating and leading Nature-based Solution (NbS) projects with local partners.
US Farmer Inclusion Meeting Updates and Take-Aways
This past April, Nature For Justice (N4J) met with 10 organizations and eight farm owners to discuss our U.S. Farmer Inclusion Program and receive input
Seagrass, A Climate Fighting Super Power
Often missed and unnoticed by many people are vast meadows of seagrasses growing in our oceans. Seagrasses are believed to have first appeared about 100
Regenerative Agriculture & Resilient Food Systems: 7 Important Examples
At Nature For Justice (N4J), we’re working with global and local partners to lay the foundation for climate justice. Regenerative agriculture and resilient food systems
Building a Strong Foundation for Climate Justice: Learnings and Insights
At Nature For Justice (N4J), we’re working with global and local partners to lay the foundation for climate justice. Our work is evolving quickly: Across
Celebrating Earth Day 2023
Preserving Our Planet: Blue Carbon, Biodiversity, and Biodiversity Credits The Role of Blue Carbon Blue carbon refers to the carbon captured and stored by
What Makes Nature for Justice Unique
Nature for Justice was created in 2020 to address what we perceived to be the asymmetry in power between on-the-ground groups most affected by climate change
Leveraging Biodiversity Credits: An Important Catalyst for Sustainable Forestry Practices
On International Day of Forests, we celebrate the indispensable role forests play in nurturing life on Earth. These natural wonders provide countless species with habitat,
5 Barriers to Entry in Nature-based Carbon Projects
Nature for Justice’s (N4J) experience with the request for nature-based carbon project proposals in Africa, which we are also contemplating in Canada with First Nations,
Spotlighting 5 Black Farmers’ Markets in North Carolina
“When I’m touching the soil, it just gives me freedom,” Samantha Foxx, owner of Mother’s Finest Family Urban Farms in North Carolina. How We Got
Nature-based Solutions: A Quick Explainer.
First coined as a term by the IUCN 20 years ago, Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are gaining steam across the globe. Major international organizations, large donors,
Wetlands. Protecting Them is a Nature-based Solution.
85% of the world’s wetlands have been lost due to human interference, much of it through large-scale modern agriculture. Known as “nature’s kidneys,” wetlands slow
Evaluating Potential Nature-based Solution Projects: Systematically and Fairly
Last year, we founded an Africa Nature-based Solutions (NbS) Program and secured the commitment of major investors for the development and implementation of socially inclusive,
Looking Back to See Forward: 2022 Accomplishments and Opportunities Ahead
2022 – A Year in Review This is a somewhat unusual end-of-year message as I want to talk as much about process as achievements for
$51 per ton? Nope. Try $185 for the Social Cost of Carbon.
The Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) is the cost of the damages incurred by the emission of one additional metric ton (mt) of CO2. For
Interview with Ganesan ‘Bala’ Balachander, a Nature For Justice Senior Advisor
Old Wine in New Bottles. Nature-based Solutions in the Indian Farming Landscape. Ganesan ‘Bala’ Balachande started his career in physics but his real interest was
Interview with Jasmine Gibson, Our Regional Hub Outreach Coordinator
Jasmine Gibson Working closely with Clarenda Stanley on our BIPOC Farmers Project and Farmer Inclusion is our new Regional Hub Outreach Coordinator Jasmin Gibson who
Interview with Clarenda Stanley, N4J’s MD of Farmer Inclusion (Part 2)
Clarenda Stanley is an award-winning fundraiser, communications professional, and CEO/Founder of Green Heffa Farms, the nation’s first Certified B Corp Black-owned farm. Clarenda hosted the
Interview with Clarenda Stanley, N4J’s MD of Farmer Inclusion (Part 1)
We recently welcomed Clarenda Stanley as the new Managing Director of Farmer Inclusion for Nature for Justice. Clarenda is a farmer herself who grows herbs
Recognizing Indigenous Peoples
Indigenous peoples proven to sustain biodiversity and address climate change: Now it’s time to recognize and support this leadership People around the world increasingly see
John Oliver: Giggles and a Big Fail
John Oliver’s recent broadside against carbon offsets last month got lots of laughs. But Oliver and his team cherry-picked the data for the giggles. It
Nature-based Solutions? They’re powerful.
Nature-based solutions are gaining traction around the world as a means of mitigating the threats of climate change. While there are various definitions of Nature-based
What is Blue Carbon?
And why it’s imperative to protect this precious resource Blue carbon is the name for carbon captured by oceans and coastal ecosystems. Carbon sequestration and
Learn Fast: Measure. Compare. Modify.
Post COP26 View Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are emerging as a powerful, integrated approach for mitigating and adapting to climate change while protecting biodiversity and promoting
Let’s Invest in What’s Working!
We at Nature For Justice aim to be the organization that local communities and partners look to for support as they invest in projects to
Taking Partnerships to the Next Level,
the N4J Way
The Four-Legged Stool Theory is in essence the institutional capacity approach for program scaling: creating enduring impact versus implementing a ‘project’. There is frequent reference
Our Program for BIPOC Farmers: 1st Update
In spring 2021, Nature For Justice (N4J) launched its Inclusive Climate Resource Network (ICRNet) program for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) farmers in
Interview with Micheal O’Brien-Onyeka: Capacity Building – Thoughts from a Builder
We are very pleased to have Michael O’Brien-Onyeka join our team at Nature For Justice. Micheal comes with an impressive set of skills and significant
Biodiversity Loss Threatens Social Justice
WWF’s 2020 Living Planet Report reported that: “The world has seen an average 68% drop in mammal, bird, fish, reptile, and amphibian populations since 1970.
A Culture of Earth Centeredness, Mother Earth Day, April 22, 2022
Nature For Justice’s mission (N4J) is to use nature to address the social justice needs of vulnerable populations confronting the climate crisis around the world.
ILI Leader Steven Nitah Joins Nature For Justice
Steven Nitah For nearly a decade, Steven Nitah has been an active member of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative (ILI), helping to advise Indigenous Nations and
A Visit to Our South Africa Project
Last week I was in South Africa with our corporate partner and the local team as our nature-based project in the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve
Irrecoverable Carbon: Let’s Protect The Boreal
Nature For Justice Indigenous Advisor Steve Nitah and I have been talking a lot about how to protect the Boreal forests of Canada given the
Missed Opportunity: Greenpeace on ENI in Zambia
Greenpeace Report In May 2021, Greenpeace Italy issued a report entitled “The Luangwa Community Forests Project (LCFP) in Zambia, A review of the biggest REDD+
Carbon Offset Investments? De-Risk Them.
Commitments to carbon neutrality are leading many companies to invest in carbon offset projects. How do you manage the risk associated with these long-term, high
Investing in Nature to Reduce Human Migration
Investing $1 in nature-based solutions now will save at least $4 in future costs of climate-related migration. Where on earth did I get that figure?
Interview with Flynn Bucy, Ph.D: Nature For Justice’s Advisory Network Leader
Flynn Bucy, Ph.D. is a well-known senior specialist in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainable Development and Futures Studies. He has been a senior
Carbon Offsetting 101
Currently, next to “Nature Based Solutions” (NBS), “carbon offsetting” is one of the big buzzwords in the environmental community – and there are as many
Accelerating Nature Based Solutions (NBS)
NBS carbon projects? Too few places, too long in set up, and unfair to local communities. Nature based solutions (NBS) can make a considerable contribution
N4J: One Year In – Progress!
September 15, 2021 is the one-year anniversary for the creation of Nature For Justice (N4J). On our first anniversary let me begin by thanking those
Interview with Zakiya H. Leggett, Ph.D: Nature Based Solutions – Centered on Soil Science
Dr. Zakiya Leggett is an assistant professor at North Carolina State University in the College of Natural Resources. She currently teaches Introduction to Environmental Science
Interview with Missy Rosen: Nurturing Diversity, Inclusivity and Equity
Melissa (Missy) Rosen Bio: Chief People Advisor for Nature For Justice. Results driven HR professional in leading tactical and strategic consulting to create organizational development
