COP16.2 in Rome - More money needed for nature

Oslo/Rome 24.02.2025

The world has agreed to increase efforts to protect biodiversity but has yet to decide how to finance this effort and measure global progress in nature protection. Resource mobilization, financing mechanisms and a monitoring framework are the main topics as the Convention on Biological Diversity meets in Rome from February 25 to 27.

As much as 75% of all international biodiversity finance under this UN convention comes from Germany, France, Norway, and EU institutions. Rainforest Foundation Norway’s International Advocacy Director, Anders Haug Larsen, encourages negotiators to mobilize other countries and the private sector to contribute to the international protection of nature.

“It is in everyone’s interest to protect life on Earth. Therefore, more countries should join the global effort to protect important ecosystems like tropical rainforests,” says Anders Haug Larsen, International Advocacy Director at Rainforest Foundation Norway.

Although the United States is not part of the Convention on Biological Diversity, it has been an important supporter of international biodiversity finance. The current uncertainty about future funding strengthens the need for other countries to contribute more.

Directing financial flows away from harmful activities

Just as crucial as securing international public finance is government interventions to direct financial flows away from activities that harm nature and into those that do not. According to the recent IPBES Nexus report, private financial flows investing in activities directly harming nature amount to $5.3 trillion annually.

“With pressure on public budgets, clear commitments on immediate government action to redirect financial flows should be a core topic for the Rome negotiation. Countries agreed two years ago to eliminate harmful subsidies to biodiversity but have so far little to show for,” says Haug Larsen.

RFN is following the negotiations closely. Anders Haug Larsen, Director of International Advocacy in Rainforest Foundation Norway, is in Rome and ready to comment.