Triodos Bank supports biodiversity agreement on significant funding for nature

Biodiversity finance just got a major win. On 27 February, the COP16 negotiations continued in Rome, Italy, where governments agreed on mechanisms to scale up to $200 billion a year in finance for nature by 2030, including $30 billion from wealthy governments to lower-income countries. We welcome this win for collective action in a time where international collaboration on shared challenges is under pressure. Also, a new fund was agreed to ensure that profits from genetic resources benefit indigenous communities and local communities.

The progress made at COP16 reaffirms that collaboration between governments, businesses, and financial institutions is essential to closing the biodiversity funding gap. Triodos Bank welcomes these advancements and remains committed to playing its part. As part of our biodiversity targets, we have pledged to financing €500 million in nature-based solutions by 2030. Nature-based solutions involve working with nature to address societal challenges, providing benefits for human well-being, biodiversity and the climate. Nature-based projects are designed to boost biodiversity while delivering a range of ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration, water purification, and soil fertility.

Next: reform finance flows driving biodiversity loss

Crucially important in addressing the financing gap, is not just new positive flows of finance but also reforming both public and private finance flows that currently drive biodiversity loss. The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) estimates that about USD 1.7 trillion is spent annually by governments on such harmful subsidies, which should instead be redirected to nature restoration and transitioning harmful sectors. At COP15, an agreement was reached to reduce these subsides by at least USD 500 billion per year by 2030. Triodos Bank urges all countries to map, reduce, and repurpose these subsidies to meet global financing goals and reduce environmental damages.

Now is the time to turn commitments into action. We call on fellow financial institutions to join us in redirecting capital toward regenerative solutions, ensuring that the global economy works in harmony with nature rather than against it. Let’s make nature a priority in finance—because a thriving planet is the foundation of a sustainable future.

Triodos Bank welcomes biodiversity agreement on significant funding for nature

Next: reform finance flows driving biodiversity loss

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