Funding roadblocks slow COP16 progress on biodiversity targets

Stuck on financing issues, delegates at the COP16 biodiversity summit struggle to agree on how to achieve conservation goals despite urgent needs for increased funding.

Jake Spring and Oliver Griffin report for Reuters.

In short:

• The COP16 biodiversity summit saw only $163 million pledged toward conservation, far below the billions required to meet the 30-by-30 conservation goal.
• The International Union for Conservation of Nature reported that 38% of tree species are at risk of extinction, urging urgent action to curb habitat loss from logging, agriculture and development.
• Negotiators made progress on integrating Indigenous groups in conservation decisions but remain divided on funding mechanisms to protect biodiversity.

Key quote:

“We are talking about millions that have been pledged. But what we are expecting are billions.”

— Irene Wabiwa, Greenpeace biodiversity advocate

Why this matters:

With biodiversity declining rapidly and essential ecosystems at risk, slow financing threatens global conservation goals. Without increased funding and unified global action, species loss and habitat degradation may accelerate, undermining critical ecosystem services and the stability of natural resources worldwide.

Read more:

• Biodiversity in protected areas is shrinking faster than in unprotected regions
• Human activity is pushing ecosystems toward collapse, experts warn
• Countries fall behind on biodiversity goals despite upcoming UN conference