The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has announced its support for Ecuador’s first biodiversity bond, a pioneering issuance led by Banco Bolivariano. The bond aims to mobilize private capital toward projects that create jobs while generating measurable positive impacts on biodiversity, conservation, and ecosystem restoration across the country. Proceeds from the bond will finance initiatives across five strategic pillars: productive land use and agriculture, sustainable freshwater and marine production, waste and plastics management, forestry and plantations, and tourism and ecotourism services.
Eligible projects must demonstrate verifiable environmental benefits, including reductions in water use and chemical inputs, adoption of recognized sustainability certifications, habitat protection, and improved sustainable management of natural resources. Marcela Ponce, IFC’s Manager of Sustainable Finance Advisory and Pre-Investment Services, emphasized that the initiative channels capital toward sectors that simultaneously protect nature, generate employment, and attract international investors committed to sustainability.
Rocío Salazar, Executive Vice President of Banco Bolivariano, highlighted the bank’s long-term commitment to Ecuador’s sustainable development, ensuring that the bond resources generate both environmental and economic value while encouraging other actors to adopt high environmental and social standards. The bond, with a placement of up to USD 120 million and a tenor of up to five years, represents Ecuador’s first biodiversity bond and the largest of its kind in Latin America. It includes a subscription of USD 50 million from IDB Invest, USD 50 million from IFC, and USD 20 million from the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO).
Through this support, IFC reinforces its commitment to strengthening Ecuador’s sustainable finance markets, promoting solutions that integrate profitability, environmental protection, and long-term development. Banco Bolivariano, a leading financial institution in Ecuador, aims to drive the country’s sustainable progress by responsibly mobilizing financial resources for projects with measurable environmental and social impact. IFC continues to leverage its capital, expertise, and influence to create market opportunities and foster sustainable private-sector development in emerging markets.
