Friends of the Earth US' new briefing paper, "Protecting Biodiversity from Harmful Financing: Internationally-Recognized Areas," details the critical role of banks and financiers in protecting internationally recognized areas, such as World Heritage sites, IUCN category sites, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.

No Go area 2: Nationally recognized areas calls on banks and financiers to protect nationally and sub-nationally recognized areas, such as parks, reserves, memorials, monuments, preserves, among others, by prohibiting direct and indirect financing to activities and projects which may harm these areas. This paper provides key lessons on the risks associated with investing in nationally recognized areas, as well as on how banks and financiers can do more to protect these areas from unsustainable development and projects.

No Go area 3: Key Biodiversity Areas and habitats with endangered and endemic speciescalls on banks and financiers to prohibit direct and indirect financing to activities and projects which may harm these critical areas.

No Go area 4: Primary and vulnerable secondary forests details how banks and financiers are driving forest degradation and deforestation by financing sectors tied to high forest risks. The paper urges banks and financiers to stop financing deforestation and forest degradation by developing robust forest policies which also protect forest dwelling local and Indigenous communities.

No Go area 5: Free flowing rivers explains why it is important for banks and financiers to prohibit direct and indirect financing to harmful activities which negatively impact or alter free flowing rivers. The paper offers useful lessons and key takeaways on how the international banking sector can establish strong water and exclusionary policies to protect free flowing rivers and the communities reliant on them.

No Go area 6: Protected or at-risk marine and coastland ecosystems offers key takeaways on how the international banking sector can strengthen policies to fully protect at-risk and protected marine and coastland ecosystems and respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

No Go area 7: Areas where Free, Prior and Informed Consent has not been obtained by Indigenous Peoples and local communities demonstrates the vital role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities play in protecting biodiversity. It explains the nuances in how Free, Prior, Informed Consent (FPIC) is a unique right to Indigenous Peoples guaranteed under international law, whereas FPIC can be used as a best practice in engaging local communities. The paper provides useful lessons and key takeaways on how the international banking sector can establish robust Indigenous Peoples policies.

No Go area 8: Iconic, Transboundary Ecosystems explains why it is critical for banks and financiers to prohibit direct and indirect financing to harmful activities which negatively impact iconic, transboundary ecosystems. As transboundary ecosystems span across different jurisdictions and management, the protection of iconic, transboundary ecosystems demands protecting the entire ecosystem, rather than just pockets or fragments. For instance, iconic ecosystems like the Amazon may soon collapse due to fragmentation caused by deforestation and extractive activities simultaneously occurring across Amazon countries. This paper offers key takeaways for banks and financiers on how to protect iconic, transboundary ecosystems and