Lex Hovani

Co-Investing in Nature is a specialized advisory practice focused on getting catalytic funding to large-scale nature-based climate solutions. I work with corporates, donors, landscape initiatives, and intermediaries to design the funding approaches that allow multiple actors to co-invest in shared outcomes at landscape scale. Advisory services include Beyond Value Chain Mitigation strategy for corporates, co-investment agreement design, jurisdictional finance architecture, initiative readiness and funder translation, and claims frameworks for transparent contribution reporting. The COIN Initiative, a grant-funded field-building effort under fiscal sponsorship of One Earth Philanthropy's Nature Data Lab, develops open-source frameworks, templates, and shared infrastructure for contribution-based climate finance — published as public goods.

Research Fellow with Nature Data Lab, a project of One Earth Philanthropy advancing science-based tools and data infrastructure to accelerate climate and nature finance. My work focuses on contribution-based funding mechanisms for nature conservation — designing alternatives to carbon offset markets that can channel corporate, philanthropic, and bilateral capital to credible landscape-level implementers.

-Co-managed global mechanisms including the Climate Finance for Development Accelerator (CFDA) -Deployed catalytic capital for innovative finance vehicles: Secured $7M in competitively awarded internal funds to catalyze creation of innovative nature-based financing vehicles, including Acorn Smallholder Agroforestry Facility and Colibri Catalyst -Provided advisory services to USAID Missions to inform project design and policy engagement in Indonesia, Thailand, Tanzania, Kenya, Vietnam; Peru; Brazil -Designed and lead finance knowledge network: network of 150+ USAID staff involved in nature-based solutions finance linking climate, water, biodiversity, and agriculture teams. -Multi-stakeholder dialogues: Co-designed a series of global roundtables on Innovative Finance for Nature with USAID, State Department, and the Development Finance Corporation

• Strategic philanthropy: Global Climate Strategies Partner with Climate Leadership Initiative curating and shaping high-impact solutions ready for funding by high net-worth individuals. • Carbon project and program evaluation: Design evaluation systems for platforms and other intermediaries to evaluate carbon integrity and sustainable development impact of forest and land use projects and programs. • Systems change strategy: Facilitate reviews of existing strategies and programs and support co-creation of updated approaches emphasizing multi-stakeholder collaboration, systems thinking, and innovation. • Sustainable landscapes project design: manage and advise on detailed design of large-scale programs for multi-lateral and bi-lateral funders.

• Provided thought leadership related to integrated landscape approaches to green development, including through development of TNC-led knowledge products, collaboration with other organizations including the World Bank, EcoAgriculture Partners, Global Canopy Program, WWF, and others, and providing advisory services to internal and external partners implementing integrated landscape approaches. • Supported strategic planning, project development, and fundraising at global, regional, and national levels to mobilize resources to implement integrated landscape approaches in priority landscapes • Provided ongoing advisory services to key programs to help innovative solutions that can serve as nationally, regionally, and globally relevant examples

Provide strategic advice and analytical support to a cross-functional team of TNC staff from Indonesia Program, Asia Pacific Region, and Worldwide Office in design of a large-scale forest carbon program in Berau, East Kalimantan. Work with Government of Indonesia, Provincial Government, and District Government to get input into the design of the program, and ensure the fit of the program with government development plans and forest carbon frameworks. Support the work of TNC's International Climate Policy team in working with the UNFCCC negotiations and climate policy development processes in the U.S., Europe, and Australia.

Initiated The Nature Conservancy's Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) program in Indonesia; responsible for developing an integrated program aligning local, national, and global strategy teams across science, conservation strategies, policy, and finance teams. Led a team of Nature Conservancy experts and consultants in the development of two key studies on the potential for REDD implementation in Indonesia. The studies were part of a larger set of studies being convened by the Ministry of Forestry through the Indonesia Forest and Climate Alliance.

Responsible for incorporating TNC's forest program work into a global climate change strategy for REDD. Collaborated with World Bank staff on design of Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. Provided support for TNC's involvement in different policy debates, including representing TNC at the UNFCCC events (COP, Workshops, SBSTA), authoring position statements and policy submissions. Led process for TNC country programs to develop criteria and priorities for development of REDD programs. Catalyzed development of a REDD program in Mato Grosso, Brazil and provided strategic support by hiring short-term staff, developing strategic plans for program development, and helping design a state-federal agreement on REDD. Built internal constituency for REDD program development in all TNC international regions.

Co-authored fund investment memorandum leading to second round financing of $12 million. Analyzed risk characteristics of different forest management approaches and demonstrated lower volatility for the type of management that Ecotrust performs. Modeled emerging opportunities for sale of ecosystem services and advised fund management on ways to access markets for ecosystem services. Collaborated with team of consultants to evaluate land acquisition opportunities and partnership strategies, leading to acquisition of 4 properties.

Co-wrote business plan and designed financial model for reforestation and ecosystem-services company to operate in the Panama Canal Watershed. Identified investors and helped secure commitment of $3MM startup financing. Identified high-priority areas for land acquisition. Evaluated project feasibility by interviewing government officials, landowners, NGOs, and foresters throughout Panama Canal Watershed Designed financing structure allowing company to integrate with government and non-profit partners.