GOV.UK
The Darwin Initiative
The Darwin Initiative is a UK government grants scheme that helps to protect biodiversity and the natural environment through locally based projects worldwide.
What we do
The initiative funds projects that help countries rich in biodiversity but poor in financial resources to meet their objectives under one or more of the following biodiversity conventions:
- the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
- the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)
- the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing
- the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
- the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
- the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)
Apply for funding
Projects typically try to address threats to biodiversity such as:
- habitat loss or degradation
- climate change
- invasive species
- over-exploitation
- pollution and eutrophication
You can look up current and past projects in the Darwin projects database.
Darwin Expert Committee
The Darwin Expert Committee (currently chaired by Professor Stephen Blackmore), consists of experts from government, academia, science and the private sector. The committee advises ministers on development of the initiative, reviews applications and makes recommendations to ministers on applications for funding.
| Name | Organisation |
|---|---|
| Professor Stephen Blackmore (Chair) | Independent |
| Mr Martin Brasher | Independent |
| Dr Abigail Entwistle | Fauna and Flora International (FFI) |
| Dr Geoffrey Hawtin | Independent |
| Dr Keith Hamer | University of Leeds |
| Dr Frances Humber | Blue Ventures |
| Dr Gary Martin | Global Diversity Foundation |
| Professor EJ Milner-Gulland | Oxford University |
| Dr Jay Mistry | Royal Holloway, University of London |
| Dr Howard Nelson | University of Chester |
| Dilys Roe | International Institute for Environment and Development |
| Dr Paul Smith | Botanic Gardens Conservation International |
| Dr Juliet Vickery | RSPB |
| Dr Mark Watson | Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh |
| Ex-officio members: | |
| Dr Vincent Fleming | JNCC |
| Professor Monique Simmonds | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |
| Chris Lyal | Natural History Museum |
Privacy notice
Our privacy notice (PDF) explains how we use your personal data in connection with the Darwin Initiative, Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) Challenge Fund and Darwin Plus.
Contact
For questions about policy, contact the Darwin Secretariat at the Department for Food and Rural Affairs.
Email: darwin@defra.gsi.gov.uk
For queries about project applications, contact the applications team.
Email: darwin-applications@ltsi.co.uk
For queries relating to new and existing projects, contact the project administrators.
Email: darwin-projects@ltsi.co.uk
Telephone: Eilidh Young on 0131 440 5181
For queries about project finance, contact the finance section.
Email: darwin-finance@ltsi.co.uk
Darwin Initiative
LTS International
Pentlands Science Park
Bush Loan
Penicuik
EH26 0PL