32. GainForest (AI x climate x web3) - FtC Paris 2023

Summary

The speaker discusses innovative funding mechanisms for local communities through Gain Forest, a nonprofit leveraging web3 to support nature conservation. They introduce 'Measure to Earn' and 'Label to Earn', new scalable ways to fund communities and decentralize data labeling, using local knowledge for biodiversity assessment. The talk highlights the importance of transparency and community involvement in preserving nature, showcasing projects in Bhutan, the Philippines, and Kenya.

Takeaways

• 🌳 The speaker has dedicated 20 years to finding new mechanisms to fund local communities and protect nature.
• 🌲 Gain Forest is a nonprofit organization that aims to innovate the way donations are made to conservation projects, focusing on transparency and impact.
• 🌐 The traditional donation system lacks transparency and can lead to significant issues, such as the misuse of funds meant for environmental conservation.
• 💡 Gain Forest uses blockchain technology to create a smart contract system where donations are released only when conservation impact is verified, reducing trust and increasing transparency.
• 🔬 The organization has conducted pilot studies in the Philippines and other countries to involve local communities in measuring biodiversity and other aspects of nature that are difficult to quantify.
• 📱 Local communities are educated to use smartphones to collect data, which is then uploaded to servers and used to trigger donations through smart contracts.
• 💼 The concept of 'Measure to Earn' is introduced, where individuals are paid for their contributions to data collection, enhancing the involvement of local communities in conservation efforts.
• 📚 'Label to Earn' is a new approach where people are rewarded for labeling ecological data, integrating indigenous knowledge into the process of data labeling for AI.
• 🎓 The script highlights the importance of considering multiple aspects of nature beyond just carbon storage, such as cultural, educational, and recreational values.
• 🌐 The speaker emphasizes the potential of new technologies and innovative funding mechanisms to empower local communities and protect the environment more effectively.
• 🎵 The talk concludes with a demonstration of how DNA measurements can be translated into music, symbolizing the diversity and beauty of species that can be preserved through innovative conservation efforts.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the talk?

The main focus of the talk is to discuss new mechanisms for funding local communities and to introduce 'Gain Forest', a better way to do donations, as well as two new ways to fund communities at scale: 'Measure to Earn' and 'Label to Earn'.

What is Gain Forest?

Gain Forest is a nonprofit organization that has been working since 2017 to support local communities in their efforts to protect nature. They develop technologies to empower these communities and have a focus on transparency and impact in their projects.

What is the significance of the 'Measure to Earn' initiative?

'Measure to Earn' is an initiative that aims to fund communities by integrating them into the process of data collection for biodiversity and other environmental factors. It pays individuals for their contributions to data collection, which helps in measuring things that were previously unmeasurable.

What is the issue with the current donation system for environmental projects?

The current donation system lacks transparency, making it difficult for donors to understand the impact of their contributions. There are instances of misuse of funds and misrepresentation of project outcomes, leading to a lack of trust in environmental funding.

How does 'Label to Earn' differ from 'Measure to Earn'?

'Label to Earn' goes a step further by decentralizing data labeling and including indigenous knowledge. It rewards people for labeling ecological data, which is crucial for the AI revolution and provides a more contextual understanding of the environment.

What is the problem with relying solely on satellite imagery for environmental data?

Satellite imagery, while useful, can be insufficient and sometimes inaccurate. It may not capture the full biodiversity or the health of an ecosystem, leading to a limited understanding of the environment's contributions.

How does Gain Forest ensure transparency in their projects?

Gain Forest uses blockchain technology to create a clear connection between donations and impact. They also mint NFTs that represent digital twins of donations, ensuring that every transaction is transparently visible.

What is the role of local communities in the 'Measure to Earn' and 'Label to Earn' initiatives?

Local communities play a crucial role in these initiatives by actively participating in data collection and labeling. They are educated to measure and label ecological data, which is then used to trigger donations and payments for their contributions.

How does Gain Forest ensure the accuracy of the data collected by local communities?

Gain Forest uses a combination of satellite analysis, drone imagery, and AI algorithms to verify the data collected by local communities. They also incorporate community feedback and discussions to ensure the accuracy and context of the data.

What is the significance of the 'Express Rainforest' competition mentioned in the script?

The 'Express Rainforest' competition is a challenge that tests the ability to measure biodiversity in a forest within 24 hours without entering it. Gain Forest participated in this competition, using drones and DNA samplers to collect data and demonstrating the potential of their technology in real-world applications.