Rome, Italy, Governments will come together for three days of Biodiversity talks to finalise an agreement on the mobilisation of finance for nature. While progress on nature protection was made at CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) COP16 [1] in October 2024, a last hour suspension in Colombia left parties and civil society disappointed. The deal currently on the table is critical to ensure sufficient funding for protecting and restoring high integrity ecosystems in a fair and equitable way, over the next decade and beyond. 

What Greenpeace expects in Rome for success: 

• Deliver $20 USD billion from 2025 and additional $30 USD billion from 2030 per year, from public sources, to maintain trust that the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework will be implemented 
• Secure direct access to funding for Indigenous Peoples and local communities 
• Ensure that the Cali fund is operationalised in a fair, just and equitable way and that the commercial users of Digital Sequence Information (DSI) effectively deliver meaningful contributions
• Agreement on a 2025 plan to eliminate, phase out and reform harmful financial biodiversity incentives

An Lambrechts, Head of the Greenpeace COP16 delegation said: “Failure to make progress on finance in the face of the biodiversity crisis only condemns the planet further on the path to increased nature loss and species extinction. Talks in Rome need to demonstrate ambition, rapid progress and global cooperation. Half-measures are not acceptable; new and additional finance needs to touch the ground for both nature and people.”

Laura Caicedo, Campaigns Coordinator, Greenpeace Colombia said: “The second phase of COP16 in Rome is a key opportunity to close the remaining gaps and ensure that ambition does not remain just words. It is urgent for wealthy countries to take responsibility and agree on a strong and fair solution to fund biodiversity protection for biodiversity protection. We cannot keep postponing crucial decisions—ecosystems continue to collapse, and the communities that depend on them cannot wait any longer.”

ENDS

Notes:

1. COP16 outcomes Greenpeace welcomed in Colombia included the establishment of a new body dedicated to Indigenous Peoples’ rights, roles, territories and knowledge, progress on ocean protections, and on integration of biodiversity and climate action.

-The Greenpeace delegation will be in Rome from 24 February with representatives available for comment. 

-Full Greenpeace Policy Briefings for CBD COP16 can be found on: 

Contacts:

Gaby Flores, Communications Coordinator, Greenpeace International, [email protected] 

Valentina Barresi, Press Officer, Greenpeace Italy, [email protected], +39 342 5532207

Greenpeace International Press Desk, +31 (0)20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), [email protected]