Key Impact Points:
- Panama’s Minister Juan Carlos Navarro declares nature financing “a necessity,” urging global collaboration to scale financial mechanisms for biodiversity.
- Highlights include Panama’s debt-for-nature swap success and its leadership in environmental transparency and fund access.
- Partnerships with Enduring Earth, Blue Nature Alliance, and Conservation International are credited with enabling effective conservation financing.
Panama City, May 22, 2025 — On the third day of the Nature Summit in Panama City, Environment Minister Juan Carlos Navarro took center stage at the international discussion “Panama’s Journey from Vision to Action in Nature Financing.” The session, focused on Panama’s concrete steps in implementing financial solutions for biodiversity and climate action, drew leaders from the environmental, financial, and international cooperation sectors.
Moderated by Kathleen Fitzgerald, coordinator of the Enduring Earth project, the conversation spotlighted Panama’s model for turning environmental ambition into measurable progress.
From Vision to Action
During his remarks, Navarro underscored the country’s commitment to delivering results:
“We are demonstrating that a small country can have a global impact if it commits to an economy aligned with conservation and climate.”
Navarro emphasized that Panama has moved “from words to actions” in nature finance and highlighted key advances, such as the successful debt-for-nature swap which is financing long-term conservation in high-priority areas.
He further explained Panama’s strategic focus on accessing climate and biodiversity funds and its leadership in environmental transparency.
A Global Call for Scale and Support
“Nature financing isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity,” Navarro said. “We urgently need to scale up these mechanisms, and Panama is willing to collaborate with global partners to make it possible.”
He laid out a clear vision for how countries can mobilize resources to protect their natural capital, underscoring Panama’s readiness to work with international actors to grow the impact.
The Power of Partnerships
Juan Carlos Navarro credited multi-stakeholder collaboration for enabling Panama’s progress:
“When we speak of environmental action, we have to speak about long-term guarantees,” he said. “In Latin America, support for conservation comes and goes. We need to ensure continuity.”
He specifically cited the impact of partnerships with Enduring Earth, Blue Nature Alliance, and Conservation International, calling them “vital in structuring financial mechanisms that make it possible to conserve marine and terrestrial ecosystems.”
Communities at the Center
Juan Carlos Navarro closed with a firm reminder that people are central to all success:
“None of this can be achieved without working with communities. They are at the heart of our efforts.”
He added that, thanks to strong state policies and trusted collaborations, Panama will continue to position itself as a regional leader in nature-based solutions.
Related Article: 2025 Nature Summit in Panama: Bridging Sectors to Tackle Climate Change
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