Biodiversity and natural resource finance

Nature risk has become recognized as a major issue for worldwide economies. Between 2020 and 2024, private finance for nature surged elevenfold to over $100 billion, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimated that there could be a further increase by 2030 to $1.45 trillion.1 Regrettably, the 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference of the Parties (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, did not reach a conclusion on funding. Discussions were deferred to 2025 in Rome, Italy, when participating nations eventually agreed to provide developing countries with $200 billion a year to finance conservation efforts until 2030. However, there is a growing awareness of the importance of the need for the private sector to step forward, and private finance will be needed to close the financing gap.