Full Breakdown
Funding Gap Looms Ahead of UN Biodiversity Summit in Yerevan
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Funding Shortfall Ahead of COP17
Delegates from nearly 200 nations will convene in Yerevan, Armenia, from October 19 for the United Nations biodiversity summit (COP17). The meeting comes as the global community confronts a stark financing gap: the $200 billion-per-year target pledged in 2022 to protect land, freshwater and marine ecosystems is far from being met. Current fundraising levels are estimated at $75-$92 billion annually for 2023-2025, with only $19 billion raised in 2024, leaving the 30 percent “30x30” protection goal for 2030 in jeopardy.
Background & Context
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in 2022, set 23 targets to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, including the “30x30” commitment to conserve 30 percent of the planet’s lands and waters. Nations also pledged to mobilize $200 billion each year for nature-positive finance and to reform or phase out $500 billion in subsidies that harm ecosystems.
Data & Statistics
- Funding goal: $200 billion per year by 2030.
- Current fundraising: $75-$92 billion per year (OECD data, 2023-2025).
- 2024 intake: $19 billion.
- Aid to developing nations: $20 billion pledged for 2025, rising to $30 billion by 2030.
- Protected area shortfall: Trajectories would safeguard only 26 percent of land and 12 percent of sea by 2030.
- Biodiversity loss: Wildlife populations have fallen an average of 73 percent from 1970 to 2022 (WWF Living Planet Report, 2026).
- Subsidy reform target: Cut harmful subsidies by at least $500 billion annually by 2030.
Official Statements & Responses
Convention executive secretary Astrid Schomaker warned that the world “is not moving fast enough.” Daniel Mukubi, Congo’s biodiversity negotiator, argued that without increased international aid, law-enforcement and eco-guard capacities in UNESCO World Heritage sites will continue to weaken.
Criticism & Opposition
Developing-country negotiators emphasized that existing financing mechanisms are inadequate for the scale of protection required. Conservation NGOs echoed this concern, warning that without redirected subsidies and new funding streams, the promised conservation outcomes will remain unattainable.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Do we have enough money actually to finance the commitments that countries have made? And how do we get more finance to flow toward biodiversity positive outcomes?” — Astrid Schomaker
- “We are losing everything that matters for us as humans on this planet," Schomaker said.” — Astrid Schomaker
- “What is now needed is an upswing in political ambition and determination,” — O'Donnell, director of the Campaign for Nature
- “If these valuable ecosystems collapse because international funding fails to secure them, the resulting economic damages will cost the global market tens of trillions of dollars,” — Daniel Mukubi
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Funding estimates vary between sources: the OECD range of $75-$92 billion per year differs from the $200 billion target, and the $19 billion raised in 2024 is the latest concrete figure. No consensus exists on how quickly subsidy reforms can be implemented, leaving a significant data gap for policymakers.
What's Next
COP17 will open on October 19 in Yerevan, where parties are expected to negotiate concrete financing commitments, subsidy-reform pathways, and mechanisms to channel private-sector and philanthropic resources toward biodiversity protection. The summit will also assess progress on the 30 percent target and consider additional measures to align climate and biodiversity policies.