The recent United Nations climate conference, COP30, marked a significant step forward in nature finance, but much work remains to be done by 2026, according to observers. The event concluded the Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD) roadmap aimed at increasing biodiversity financing – a crucial step towards fulfilling the financial goals outlined in the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

The conference served as a culmination of the Baku-to-Belem roadmap, a collaborative effort to define a pathway for mobilizing resources to protect and restore biodiversity. Discussions centered on how to effectively scale up financial contributions from various sources, including governments, private investors, and philanthropic organizations. While specific commitments and funding pledges were announced, many participants noted that the current levels of investment remain insufficient to meet the GBF’s ambitious targets. The Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in 2022, sets out a vision for halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030, requiring a substantial increase in financial resources, estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars annually.

The Baku-to-Belem roadmap was designed to help translate this vision into concrete actions and measurable outcomes. The roadmap identifies various financing mechanisms and policy reforms needed to unlock the necessary funding, including innovative financial instruments, carbon markets, and payments for ecosystem services. The progress made at COP30 provides a foundation for future negotiations and actions. However, the emphasis remains on accelerating the delivery of biodiversity finance and ensuring that resources are directed to the most effective conservation and restoration initiatives. Further progress is expected in the lead-up to 2026, as countries and stakeholders work towards fully implementing the GBF and its financing targets.