Sector

Natural Resource Conservation

Chemonics’ natural resource management and conservation experience spans five decades, integrating biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods in more than 50 countries. Our work emphasizes inclusive governance, ecosystem-based adaptation, and nature-based solutions to address deforestation, land degradation, and water insecurity. Through initiatives like watershed management, green infrastructure, and payment for ecosystem services, Chemonics supports communities in sustainably managing forests, fisheries, and water systems. Our approach blends technical innovation with institutional reform and community engagement, advancing both terrestrial and marine conservation while promoting equitable access to resources and climate-smart development.

Water Resources Use and Supply

Water Resources Use and Supply

We secure clean and reliable water for people, ecosystems, and economies.

Chemonics advances sustainable water use by strengthening governance, improving resource management, and promoting equitable access to water for people and nature. Our work spans transboundary basins, urban utilities, and rural communities – helping clients safeguard water resources in the face of climate change, population growth, and competing demands. We integrate technical innovation, institutional reform, and community engagement to build water-secure systems that are resilient, accessible, and environmentally sound.

Payment for Ecosystem Services

Payment for Ecosystem Services

We align markets for sustainable land management.

Chemonics recognizes the powerful impact that market systems have on our natural environment, and the ways in which these forces can be effectively harnessed for sustainable outcomes. We design policies and programs – from compensating local communities to maintain habitats in Bangladesh, to promoting innovative payment mechanisms for the sustainable harvesting of mangrove oysters in Trinidad and Tobago – that leverage positive incentives for land-intensive industries in emerging markets to adopt ecologically friendly practices and catalyze growth for providers. Our solutions – such as geospatial analysis and AI-powered risk modeling for ecosystem valuation and traceability – are adapted to prioritize the needs of local actors by fostering enduring connections with broader sources of capital.

Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

We build coastal resilience worldwide through climate-smart governance, conservation finance, and sustainable blue economies.

Chemonics’ experience in coastal and marine ecosystem resilience spans the globe from East Africa to the Caribbean and South America to Asia. We integrate sustainability into marine and coastal programming through climate-smart planning, blue bond financing strategies, biodiversity management, and low-impact infrastructure. We work across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems to build digital infrastructure that empowers communities, strengthens institutions, and delivers measurable environmental impact.

Natural Resource and Land Innovation

Natural Resource and Land Innovation

We unlock the value of ecosystems.

Chemonics applies a “whole valuation” approach that recognizes the full ecological, social, and economic value of natural resources, shifting the economic calculus toward sound stewardship by communities, landowners, and companies. We align incentives – such as payments for ecosystem services, carbon credits, production efficiencies, and supply chain partnerships – to promote long-term ecological and economic resilience. Together, we advance sustainable resource stewardship, delivering shared economic, social, and health benefits for all.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity

We advance biodiversity conservation through integrated, locally led, and finance-enabled approaches that deploy cutting-edge technologies.

Chemonics delivers innovative, scalable solutions across protected areas, buffer zones, private reserves, and production landscapes to build ecological connectivity and resilience. We leverage mobile tools for planning and real-time monitoring. Digital platforms support ecosystem valuation, traceability, and biodiversity-friendly land-use, while open data systems foster local innovation and transparency. These tools are embedded in broader efforts including sustainable livelihoods, policy reform, and institutional strengthening – delivering measurable biodiversity outcomes aligned with climate, economic, and social goals in more than 50 countries.

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Metric tons of CO₂ sequestered or reduced.

Global

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Hectares under improved environmental management.

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Individuals with improved capacity to adapt to climate variability and change.

Global

View case studies

For decades, fragmented planning and the absence of integrated data systems left The Philippines' natural forests and protected areas exposed and conservation underfunded. Chemonics redefined forest governance by embedding inclusive, data-driven systems into national policy and community practice to bring 6.2 million hectares of natural forest brought under improved management and leverage $51 million in investments for biodiversity and forest conservation.

Colombia is one of the most biodiverse countries on Earth, home to more than 50,000 species and a stunning array of ecosystems. However, decades of armed conflict, deforestation, illegal mining, and climate change have threatened both Colombia’s natural heritage and the well-being of its communities. Chemonics partnered with local governments, producer associations, farmers, and miners to rebuild livelihoods while also protecting the territories they call home.

Southern Africa’s rich biodiversity and vital water resources are under growing pressure from climate change, population growth, land degradation, and wildlife trafficking crime. By partnering with transboundary water authorities, Chemonics was able to address the root causes of environmental degradation in seven countries by strengthening governance, improving access to water and sanitation, protecting biodiversity, and building resilient livelihoods.