Science points to the fact that deforestation, degradation of natural habitats and wildlife poaching but also climate change increase the risk of deadly diseases spilling over into humans. A new report shows that tech companies could have a role to play. Digital platform can design interactive approaches that allows citizens to positively engage with nature even far from home. A new survey [developed by the CAFI Secretariat, CUFE and GDFA and] conducted on Alipay digital lifestyle platform users reveals that such a role would be positively received by the platform users. Alipay Ant Forest users show interest in engaging in protection of the world’s second largest rainforest. In that respect, tropical forests like the Congo basin rainforest holds one of the keys to sustaining life on Earth through their major contribution to climate mitigation, biodiversity, rainfall patterns and the livelihoods of tens of million people. Their conservation and sustainable use can also reduce the risk of future pathogens spreading to human populations.
Enabling every consumer and Internet user to contribute to the protection of the tropical forests of Central Africa via their digital platform may be the next big thing for tech companies as part of the international and national post-crisis green recovery measures. CAFI is a successful example of how governments’ investment into protection of rainforest habitats can help. But there is also a need to increase the consumers and people involvement in forest conservation and sustainable use, create bridges between people and have rainforest investment opportunities to enter the activities of the private sector and the life of citizens, for example via their smart phone, to enable a green and safe future.
Professor Chen Bo (CUFE): “We were surprised to see that 22 percent of the surveyed Alipay Ant Forest users are interested in helping to restore rainforest habitats via their green digital lifestyle”.
The report finds that Alipay Ant Forest players crave novelty. Expanding the ways to create positive impact could help satisfy that drive for “the next thing” by digitizing a part of their engagement with nature. .
Millennial and generation Z Chinese are the two user profiles identified by the report as most ready to engage with nature on the Alipay open digital lifestyle platform. For male users the most significant behavioural triggers are return opportunities and recognition via rankings. For female users social networking in the online engagement with nature is one of the most important behavioural triggers. For all groups individual impacts must be tangible and evidenced. The latter could be done through satellite photos of the forest expanding or drone or camera trap images of wildlife in its habitat. Marianne Haahr Director GDFA: “The behavioural triggers all contribute to a new sense of community, where protecting rainforest habitats could become the new behavioural norm”.
The report findings provide a good empirical basis for adding a new module for engagement on mobile platforms with the rainforest habitat protection.
The report sought to understand at a more granular level which specific behavioral triggers on a digital platform would be the most likely to generate user desire to engage.
Read the Report here: https://greenfinanceplatform.org/resource/tech-trees
About the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI)
CAFI is as a collaborative partnership that gathers: Central African partner countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. A coalition of donors: EU, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, South Korea and United Kingdom. Brazil is a South – South partner. CAFI’s support is channelled through a trust fund managed by the United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office. The current pledges amount to 320M US$ of which 170M US$ has been distributed to the six countries with on-going programs.
About Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE)
Central University of Finance and Economics is a university under the direct leadership of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and jointly supported by the MOE, the Ministry of Finance and the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality. It is one of China’s top universities listed under the Project “Double First-Class” university.
About the Green Digital Finance Alliance (GDFA)
The Green Digital Finance Alliance is a unique public private partnership co-founded by UN Environment and ANT Financial Services to leverage digital technologies & innovations to enhance financing for sustainable development. The GDFA catalyzes market innovation and policy action that leverages digital finance to, on the one hand, address the barriers to scaling sustainable finance, and on the other hand, promote innovation that unlocks sustainable investments in the real economy.
Media contact GDFA: mh@sustainabledigitalfinance.org phone: +45 31 64 10 10
Prof. Chen Bo (CUFE): bchen@cufe.edu.cn phone: +86 180 0109 6136