The new UNEP State of Finance for Nature report calls for investment in nature-based solutions to more than double if we are to achieve our climate, biodiversity, and land degradation goals.

Important reading ahead of COP15 (running from 7-19 Dec in Canada), the report outlines the need to both phase-out nature-negative finance flows and dramatically increase private funding for nature-based solutions.

The UN says that:

• Climate, biodiversity, and land degradation goals will be out of reach unless investments into nature-based solutions quickly ramp up to USD 384 billion/year by 2025, more than double of the current USD 154 billion/year.
• Nature-negative flows from public sources, which are 3 to 7 times larger than investments into nature-based solutions, need to be phased out, repurposed or reformed.
• Private capital only represents 17% of total investments into nature-based solutions. This will have to rise by several orders of magnitude in the coming years to finally start harnessing the power of nature to reduce and remove emissions, restore degraded land and seascapes and turn the tide on biodiversity loss. Private sector actors will have to combine ‘net zero’ with ‘nature positive’.

CDP says companies recognising biodiversity risks but majority not turning commitments into action

Largest ever assessment of self-reported data shows companies are ready to disclose on biodiversity, sending a powerful signal to negotiators ahead of COP15.

Of the 8,850+ companies who received the biodiversity-related questions, more than 7,700 (87%) chose to respond, as CDP collects biodiversity data for the first time.

Almost half of companies are considering biodiversity in their strategies, making commitments and putting governance mechanisms in place.

However, data suggests majority not translating these commitments to action, with 55% of companies failing to take action to progress their biodiversity- commitments in the past year

Findings come ahead of COP15 summit and negotiation of new Global Biodiversity Framework, including mandatory requirements for companies to disclose dependencies and impacts on biodiversity.

Recent losses of biodiversity and associated ecosystem services already cost an estimated at US$ 4– 20 trillion per year and likely to increase exponentially.