Millions of species of plants and animals are now facing extinction. Overexploitation of natural resources, destruction of natural environments, climate change, pollution: the pressures on biodiversity are increasing and its degradation continues, with a considerable impact on populations and economies.  

The loss of biodiversity threatens economies and societies at large. Nature underpins over half of the world’s GDP—an estimated $44 trillion—through ecosystem services such as clean water, fertile soils, and pollination.  Yet, unsustainable practices are eroding these foundations, threatening food security, livelihoods, and resilience to climate impacts.  

At the COP 16 on biodiversity that took place in Colombia in November 2024, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) took stock of the BIOFIN ( Biodiversity Finance Initiative) programme supported by France among a dozen institutional donors.  

BIOFIN is a support mechanism for developing countries, launched in 2012 and active in 133 countries, to mobilize financing for biodiversity conservation. The world faces an annual biodiversity financing gap of more than $700 billion, while domestic investments reach only $124 billion annually and potentially harmful subsidies exceed $1 trillion.  

About 80% of the budgets allocated to biodiversity are of public origin, hence the importance of public investment to achieve the objectives set at the Cali Summit. 

Since 2018, the BIOFIN programme has supported over 40 countries in catalyzing over a billion dollars in financing for nature.   

With BIOFIN support, the Philippines has increased it’s national budget allocation to protected areas by $86 million, Ecuador’s government has used a BIOFIN supported environmental screening software to disburse over $108 million in green credits, the Malaysian government is prioritizing provinces rich in biodiversity with additional budgetary allocations of $120 million through ecological fiscal transfers, and BIOFIN’s work supported Zambia's first-ever green bond issue, worth $200 million dollars. 

“BIOFIN embodies the powerful idea of ‘finance for finance’ - leveraging donor funding as the seed capital for biodiversity initiatives that unlock greater investments in nature,” said Onno van den Heuvel, Head of the Nature Finance Portfolio at UNDP.     

“More than half of the global GDP is dependent on nature and, through BIOFIN, we are demonstrating that economic growth and the planet’s long-term environmental interests are not opposing forces” Mr. van den Heuvel said.   

"Safeguarding biodiversity requires patient and sustainable investment and we thank all our donors, including France, the European Union and Switzerland, whose consistent contributions and support have underpinned the global impact of BIOFIN’s work" said Mr. Van den Heuvel. 

The BIOFIN methodology is anchored with the ministry of Environment in each country with strong engagement with ministries of Finance, central banks, regulators, and development banks.  

National ownership of the Biodiversity Finance Plans developed with BIOFIN support by this core group of actors in each country is a crucial element of the process and a driving force behind the programme's success.