Biodiversity is fundamental to human well-being, planetary health, and economic prosperity around the world. Yet, it is facing an unprecedented crisis: nearly one million species are at risk of extinction. The current extinction rate is already tens to hundreds of times greater than the average over the past ten million years—and this rate is accelerating.
In response to this urgent situation, the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted on December 19, 2022, during the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. This landmark agreement aims to halt the alarming loss of biodiversity and drive global efforts to restore nature.
The Framework includes four long-term goals to achieve the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity, alongside twenty-three specific global targets set for achievement by 2030. These ambitious targets are grouped under three key themes: (1) reducing threats to biodiversity (Targets 1-8); (2) meeting people’s needs through sustainable use and equitable benefit sharing (Targets 9-13); and (3) tools and solutions for implementation and mainstreaming (Targets 14-23).
Here is the TARGET 19:
“Substantially and progressively increase the level of financial resources from all sources, in an effective, timely and easily accessible manner, including domestic, international, public and private resources, in accordance with Article 20 of the Convention, to implement national biodiversity strategies and action plans, mobilizing at least $200 billion per year by 2030, including by:
(a) Increasing total biodiversity related international financial resources from developed countries, including official development assistance, and from countries that voluntarily assume obligations of developed country Parties, to developing countries, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as countries with economies in transition, to at least $20 billion per year by 2025, and to at least $30 billion per year by 2030;
(b) Significantly increasing domestic resource mobilization, facilitated by the preparation and implementation of national biodiversity finance plans or similar instruments according to national needs, priorities and circumstances;
(c) Leveraging private finance, promoting blended finance, implementing strategies for raising new and additional resources, and encouraging the private sector to invest in biodiversity, including through impact funds and other instruments;
(d) Stimulating innovative schemes such as payment for ecosystem services, green bonds, biodiversity offsets and credits, and benefit-sharing mechanisms, with environmental and social safeguards;
(e) Optimizing co-benefits and synergies of finance targeting the biodiversity and climate crises;
(f) Enhancing the role of collective actions, including by indigenous peoples and local communities, Mother Earth centric actions13 and non-market-based approaches including community based natural resource management and civil society cooperation and solidarity aimed at the conservation of biodiversity;
(g) Enhancing the effectiveness, efficiency and transparency of resource provision and use.”
TARGET 19 is pivotal within the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, as it directly addresses the financial mechanisms required to achieve the Framework’s ambitious goals. The target recognises that without substantial and predictable financial flows, implementing national biodiversity strategies will be unattainable, particularly for developing nations that face significant resource constraints.
A key aspect of TARGET 19 is its emphasis on mobilising resources from a diverse array of sources. This includes not only increasing international aid, especially from developed to developing countries, but also ramping up domestic investments and encouraging private sector participation. By setting concrete figures—such as the mobilisation of at least $200 billion annually for biodiversity by 2030, and a stepwise increase in international financial flows—the Framework establishes clear benchmarks for accountability and progress.
Furthermore, TARGET 19 promotes innovative financial instruments and approaches, such as green bonds, biodiversity credits, and payments for ecosystem services. These mechanisms are designed to harness market forces and attract new investors, thus bridging the funding gap for conservation efforts. The target also highlights the importance of environmental and social safeguards to ensure that financial activities contribute positively to biodiversity and local communities.
Importantly, the target underscores the value of collective action, including the pivotal roles played by Indigenous peoples, local communities, and civil society. By supporting non-market approaches, such as community-based natural resource management and cooperative conservation initiatives, TARGET 19 seeks to ensure that resource mobilisation efforts are inclusive and reflective of diverse perspectives.
Finally, the call for enhanced effectiveness, efficiency, and transparency in the provision and use of resources is a recognition of the need for robust monitoring and reporting systems. This will help build trust among stakeholders and ensure that funds are directed to where they are most needed, maximising their impact on global biodiversity conservation.
In summary, TARGET 19 is both ambitious and comprehensive, representing a critical step towards closing the biodiversity finance gap and enabling countries to meet their conservation commitments under the Kunming–Montreal Framework.
