Financial protection for biodiversity should be promptly addressed and funded, according to Greenpeace's recommendation.
The global community is making strides in the fight to protect the planet's biodiversity, with a renewed focus on securing significant funding for conservation efforts. The target of protecting at least 30 percent of global land and marine areas by 2030 was agreed upon by nations at the UN Convention on Biodiversity (COP16) in early 2025, and a more ambitious goal of raising $200 billion annually by 2030 was also set[1][2].
However, the fulfilment of earlier commitments, such as the $20 billion pledge by 28 nations for biodiversity finance covering 2022-2025, remains a topic of discussion. While specific reports on the exact fulfilment of this pledge are less prevalent in available sources, efforts have been intensified to support biodiversity finance[3].
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched programs under its eighth replenishment to help countries design National Biodiversity Finance Plans, aiming to mobilize resources effectively and align national financing with biodiversity goals[3]. Additionally, initiatives like the BRICS Multilateral Guarantees for sustainable development highlight increasing institutional financial cooperation, although they are more focused on infrastructure and development finance broadly, with an indirect impact on biodiversity funding[4]. Major donors and multilateral organizations, such as UNESCO, continue active financial support, with contributions from key member countries that indirectly support biodiversity through programmatic activities[5].
Despite these efforts, a funding gap of $11.6 billion remains, with only half of the promised amount contributed by 23 of the 28 nations[6]. Greenpeace International has called for the closure of this gap ahead of CBD COP16, urging governments to protect ecosystems with high integrity and high carbon density[7].
The close connection between the climate and biodiversity crises is emphasized by Greenpeace International, who also advocate for direct access to global biodiversity funds for indigenous population groups and local communities[8]. Indigenous communities are known to contribute to the protection of 80 percent of the remaining global biodiversity, as stated by the World Bank[9]. However, no specific information has been provided about the role of indigenous communities in the context of the funding gaps for the global biodiversity fund.
The biodiversity crisis, a decline in biological and genetic diversity on Earth, has been attributed to human activity since the second half of the 20th century[10]. The World Economic Forum considers the loss of biodiversity and the collapse of ecosystems as the third largest global risk, after extreme weather events and critical changes in the Earth's system[11]. As the world moves towards COP16, the urgent need for increased and equitable funding for biodiversity conservation becomes increasingly clear.
- To bridge the remaining funding gap of $11.6 billion, environmental-science organizations like Greenpeace International have called for governments to increase their contributions and protect ecosystems with high integrity and high carbon density.
- In an effort to close the $20 billion biodiversity finance pledge gap, major donors and organizations, such as UNESCO, have continued to provide financial support, while initiatives like the BRICS Multilateral Guarantees for sustainable development have indirectly impacted biodiversity funding, broadening financial cooperation for infrastructure and development.
