Funding wildlife conservation to safeguard our collective future
Funding wildlife conservation is essential for safeguarding our collective future.
TroibNews 
On March 3, the 12th World Wildlife Day will be observed with the theme "Financing Wildlife Conservation: Investing in People and the Planet." This focus underscores the vital importance of financial investment in wildlife protection, which is necessary for preserving ecological balance, offering ecosystem services, and sustaining human livelihoods.
Despite this, global wildlife continues to face significant threats from illegal trade, habitat destruction, and climate change. Effective conservation initiatives demand sufficient financial backing, yet there is still a substantial global funding gap for biodiversity efforts.
Innovative financial instruments are increasingly being integrated into wildlife conservation on an international scale.
In March 2022, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, a branch of the World Bank, introduced the world's inaugural Wildlife Conservation Bond, colloquially referred to as the "Rhino Bond." The funds raised from this bond are directly allocated to the restoration of the black rhino population in South Africa's Kruger National Park.
Fast forward to February 2025, the resumed sessions of the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity were held in Rome, resulting in the adoption of a groundbreaking financial mobilization plan aimed at enhancing global biodiversity initiatives.
Over three days of negotiations, parties at COP 16 came together to establish the "Mobilizing Financial Resources for Biodiversity" strategy, which seeks to gather $200 billion annually by 2030 from a variety of funding sources to support biodiversity initiatives. Of this total, $20 billion is expected from international financial flows by 2025, with projections increasing to $30 billion by 2030.
A significant achievement from the sessions was the introduction of the Cali Fund, a new financial mechanism supported by contributions from private sector organizations utilizing genetic resource data. This fund commits to directing at least 50 percent of its resources toward indigenous peoples and local communities, acknowledging their essential role as stewards of biodiversity.
China has made biodiversity conservation a priority within its national development strategy. Topics such as ecological civilization and green development have gained considerable focus, with biodiversity financing receiving heightened attention.
Ren Hai, a deputy at the National People's Congress, has proposed enhancements to the ex-situ conservation network and the establishment of a national zoo system to bolster biodiversity conservation efforts.
Meanwhile, China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration has actively engaged with proposals from NPC deputies and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, collaborating with relevant departments to promote conservation policies.
In recent years, China has launched several biodiversity conservation financing initiatives. In 2021, the Bank of China issued the nation's first biodiversity-themed green bonds, amounting to 1.8 billion yuan. These funds were designated for ecosystem restoration projects, including the development of nature reserves, afforestation, and both land and marine conservation efforts.
Securing financing for wildlife conservation is an essential component of global ecological protection. As challenges to biodiversity become increasingly pressing, it is critical to establish stable and efficient financial mechanisms to ensure that funding is effectively allocated to conservation efforts.
Through the use of innovative financial tools, regulatory enhancements, and strengthened international collaboration, the global community can enhance financial support for wildlife conservation and collectively work toward securing a sustainable future for both people and the planet.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
Despite this, global wildlife continues to face significant threats from illegal trade, habitat destruction, and climate change. Effective conservation initiatives demand sufficient financial backing, yet there is still a substantial global funding gap for biodiversity efforts.
Innovative financial instruments are increasingly being integrated into wildlife conservation on an international scale.
In March 2022, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, a branch of the World Bank, introduced the world's inaugural Wildlife Conservation Bond, colloquially referred to as the "Rhino Bond." The funds raised from this bond are directly allocated to the restoration of the black rhino population in South Africa's Kruger National Park.
Fast forward to February 2025, the resumed sessions of the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity were held in Rome, resulting in the adoption of a groundbreaking financial mobilization plan aimed at enhancing global biodiversity initiatives.
Over three days of negotiations, parties at COP 16 came together to establish the "Mobilizing Financial Resources for Biodiversity" strategy, which seeks to gather $200 billion annually by 2030 from a variety of funding sources to support biodiversity initiatives. Of this total, $20 billion is expected from international financial flows by 2025, with projections increasing to $30 billion by 2030.
A significant achievement from the sessions was the introduction of the Cali Fund, a new financial mechanism supported by contributions from private sector organizations utilizing genetic resource data. This fund commits to directing at least 50 percent of its resources toward indigenous peoples and local communities, acknowledging their essential role as stewards of biodiversity.
China has made biodiversity conservation a priority within its national development strategy. Topics such as ecological civilization and green development have gained considerable focus, with biodiversity financing receiving heightened attention.
Ren Hai, a deputy at the National People's Congress, has proposed enhancements to the ex-situ conservation network and the establishment of a national zoo system to bolster biodiversity conservation efforts.
Meanwhile, China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration has actively engaged with proposals from NPC deputies and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, collaborating with relevant departments to promote conservation policies.
In recent years, China has launched several biodiversity conservation financing initiatives. In 2021, the Bank of China issued the nation's first biodiversity-themed green bonds, amounting to 1.8 billion yuan. These funds were designated for ecosystem restoration projects, including the development of nature reserves, afforestation, and both land and marine conservation efforts.
Securing financing for wildlife conservation is an essential component of global ecological protection. As challenges to biodiversity become increasingly pressing, it is critical to establish stable and efficient financial mechanisms to ensure that funding is effectively allocated to conservation efforts.
Through the use of innovative financial tools, regulatory enhancements, and strengthened international collaboration, the global community can enhance financial support for wildlife conservation and collectively work toward securing a sustainable future for both people and the planet.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
