A message of hope: Six European countries have promised €130 million to help protect nature

Six European nations have made new financial contributions to the world’s most prominent biodiversity fund, which received an additional €200 million these days.

New financing was announced by Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, and the UK during the COP16 UN biodiversity meeting, that took place in Colombia last month.

One of the main results of the Kunming-Montreal Agreement reached the last COP15 in 2022 was the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF).

Following the GBFF’s inauguration last year, contributions were made by the UK, Germany, Spain, and Luxembourg. Eight of the fund’s 12 contributors are now from European nations, along with Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and, in a rare display of subnational government leadership, Quebec.

“This is about money and morale. A message of hope and global solidarity,” Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity said at the conference in Cali, thanking donors for stepping forward.

“We know that the fund is needed now more than ever. We need it to be capitalised to permit resources to flow urgently to the national implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework.”

How is biodiversity being protected by the funding?

The GBFF provides funding to nations and localities that are attempting to protect, restore, and guarantee the long-term well-being of wild species and ecosystems.

It is organised by the Global Environment Facility and collects donations from philanthropies, the governmental sector, and business organisations.

The first projects funded by the GBFF were authorised in Brazil, Fiji, Gabon, and Mexico in June 2024. In order to support the GBFF’s “30×30” objective of protecting 30% of the globe by 2030, the Mexico initiative, for instance, would strengthen national protected areas.

The fund is presently providing assistance to 24 developing nations in total, and 18 more “project preparation grants” were authorised this summer.

Research has repeatedly demonstrated that Indigenous peoples and local communities are nature’s the best guardians, and the fund seeks to have 20% of its grant support directed by these groups.

Which European nations have made the most contributions to the biodiversity fund?

Here is a list of the sums that European nations have so far committed to the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, arranged from greatest to least.

• Germany will contribute €50 million to the Global Biodiversity Fund (GBFF) in 2024, totaling €90 million with its previous €40 million contribution from 2023.
• The UK is contributing £45 million (approximately €54 million) to the GBFF, along with an additional £10 million from 2023, bringing the total to around €66 million.
• Denmark is contributing 100 million Danish kroner (about €13.4 million) to the GBFF this year.
• Norway plans to contribute 150 million Norwegian kroner (approximately €12.7 million), pending parliamentary approval.
• Spain has pledged €10 million to the GBFF earlier this year.
• Luxembourg pledged €7 million to the fund during the United Nations Environment Assembly in February.
• France committed to contributing €5 million in 2024.
• Austria plans to contribute €3 million to the Global Biodiversity Fund (GBFF)

During the last month, the fund had €196 million boosted by extra donations from Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and Quebec.

Global Environment Facility (GEF) CEO Carlos Manuel Rodríguez notes that the GBFF has progressed from launch to full-speed operation with projects already authorised and funded as well as many more under development in less than one year.

“The growing number of governments contributing to the GBFF is a sign of its momentum.”

Germany has urged other countries to contribute to the fund

The German Federal Forestry Federation (GBFF) is displaying its potential for both people and environment, according to Jochen Flasbarth, Germany’s State Secretary. On the other hand, he stresses the need of obtaining extra funds from both public and private sources in order to safeguard its growth. The German government is dedicating resources and is pushing other nations to participate in the endeavour.

Nature NGOs believe endangered ecosystems and animals need greater help. Kristian Teleki, CEO of Fauna & Flora, calls this week’s $163 million promise a “okay start” but the least we need from these nations annually. Many more countries must commit. “Nature’s survival depends on financing, and without it, the costs will go far beyond dollars – they will reach into every part of our lives. The time for empty promises is over.”