Environmental advisory firm Iora Ecological Solutions

Environmental advisory firm Iora Ecological Solutions has raised Rs 8.5 crore (about $1 million) in debt financing from Caspian Impact Investments.

Started by Iora Ecological Solutions, an environmental advisory firm that works on natural resource conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Delhi-based IORA implements nature-based projects in India, in collaboration with governments, NGOs, corporates and multilateral organisations. Nature-based solutions (NbS) encompass large-scale reforestation and afforestation, wetland rejuvenation, regenerative farming, and other community-led conservation initiatives.

These solutions leverage the power of ecosystems, including forests, wetlands, mangroves, and grasslands, to address climate change while delivering social and environmental benefits.

For example, restoring degraded lands, protecting coastal areas, and promoting sustainable agriculture help absorb carbon dioxide, reduce disaster risks, and enhance biodiversity.

NbS not only mitigate climate impacts but also supports livelihoods, improves food and water security, and builds resilience in vulnerable communities.

As more than 70% of the world’s poor live in nature-dependent areas, especially in rural and marginalised areas, nature-based projects create green jobs, preserve cultural values, and empower communities to become stewards of their environment, making climate action more inclusive and locally driven.

The loan from Caspian Impact Investments is backed by future carbon credits, where IORA will utilise funds for an agroforestry and land restoration project in Meghalaya. The carbon emissions captured through the tree plantation will be traded in the carbon markets.

The project is part of the Meghalaya Carbon Agroforestry for Community Resilience and Ecosystems (MegCare) Program, where Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) and IORA have partnered with Acorn Rabobank.

The long-term programme encourages farmers and forest owners to sell tree products such as fruits, timber and Non-timber forest products (NTFPs), and receive additional annual income from carbon credits.

Through this project, it aims to restore 1,50,000 hectares of degraded land, sequester 25 million tonnes of carbon emissions, enhance biodiversity, and create sustainable rural livelihoods.

Similarly, Iora Ecological Solutions has worked with many state governments, public sector enterprises and large organisations like NTPC, ONGC, ITC, Mahindra, Vedanta, etc.