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Global Opportunity Explorer2019 Insights

A celebration of on-going activities on the Global Opportunity Explorer

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Regen Network is a global community and platform focused on ecological monitoring and regeneration. The company aims to catalyse the regeneration of ecosystems.

Using a combination of monitoring technologies such as satellites and ground sensors, Regen Network aims to provide a global picture of ecosystem health, and provide incentives for regeneration across the many degraded landscapes. Thirty-seven percent of the Earth’s surface is used for agriculture in some way, so the company has chosen to focus on farmers as changemakers for the system. Users are able to input ecological data to an immutable blockchain system, then choose to share or sell that data with other network users. Smart contracts can then be used to pay farmers for regenerative practices, according to a number of ecological protocols developed collaboratively by network users and scientists.

Regenerative land management practices can lead to dramatic increases in biodiversity, water retention, and carbon sequestration. For example, tilling is an agricultural practice that contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and the loss of soil nutrients. It is also something that can be monitored by open-source satellite technology. Farmers choosing not to till their fields can be verified by the satellite technology and rewarded for contributing to a more sustainable and regenerative agricultural industry. Other examples of good practice that can be tracked and incentivised relatively easily include: urban tree planting, agroforestry practices, and collections of ocean plastic waste.

Why you should care

Agriculture is the second largest global producer of greenhouse gas emissions. It is also vital for supporting human life, and without a movement to more regenerative practices, we could begin to see a decline in yields and output. Regenerative agriculture builds healthy soil that can sequester atmospheric carbon, making it the 11th-ranking solution for climate change stabilisation by 2050.

How the Global Goals are addressed

Responsible consumption and production
Regen Network aims to create a platform where farmers can be rewarded for moving towards more sustainable and responsible agricultural practices.

Climate action
Using a host of modern monitoring technologies, Regen Network aims to reduce the emissions from the agricultural sector. 

Life on land
Protecting life on land is essential for farming practices and human existence. Incentivising regenerative agricultural practices can help give farmers who do the right thing the recognition they deserve.