By The rugged, volcanic islands of the Galapagos are located hundreds of miles off the coast of South America. Brimming with peculiar animals, such as playful blue-footed birds and iguanas that resemble dragons, these abundant isles have long stimulated creative thought.
Charles Darwin, the renowned naturalist of the 19th century, was inspired to develop his theory of evolution, which postulated that species with more environmental adaptation have a higher chance of surviving. And right now, the islands are the site of a very modern adaptation experiment: debt forgiveness in return for environmental and climate-related spending.
Ecuador, which has sovereign over the Galapagos, announced a record-breaking agreement earlier this year. It refinanced $1.6 billion (£1.3 billion) in government bonds with assistance from the US Development Bank and the private Credit-Suisse Investment Bank.
