Biodiversity funding gap widens as developed nations miss 2025 target

UN CBD report shows developed countries fell short of $20bn/year biodiversity funding pledge for developing nations by 2025

The UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s global stocktaking report (published 10 September 2026) states developed countries mobilized $17.7bn in international public funding for biodiversity cumulatively between 2020 and 2023. This represents an average annual public funding rate of $4.4bn. The report explicitly notes the $20bn/year public biodiversity funding target for developing countries by 2025 was likely not achieved, with cumulative funding from 2020-2023 at $17.7bn. The UN also states the $200bn/year biodiversity finance gap target for 2030 was not met by the cumulative funding of $186.4bn from 2020 to 2023. The report adds it is 'still too early to draw any conclusions' about the funding shortfall. The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund received $387.2m in signed commitments from 11 countries and one subnational government (Quebec, Canada) by July 2026, while the Cali Fund received only $6,000 in private company contributions as of 2026. The source provides no detail on consequences for abundance needs.

Source: Carbon Brief