Nations pledge $3.9bn to Global Environment Facility as Race to Meet 2030 Goals Tightens

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Environment

This replenishment sends a clear message: the world is not giving up on nature even in a time of competing priorities. Our donor countries have risen to the challenge and made bold commitments towards a more positive future for the planet. – Claude Gascon, Interim CEO and Chairperson of the GEF

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) announced that donor countries ​p​ledged an initial ​U​SD 3.9 billion to ​the facility for the ninth replenishment cycle​, indicating that nature remains a priority, as in this image, where a veterinary team applies a collar to a sedated elephant​ in KwaZulu-Natal​, South Africa, as part of an ambitious project aimed at conserving the animals. Credit: Dan Ingham/IPS

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) announced that donor countries ​p​ledged an initial ​U​SD 3.9 billion to ​the facility for the ninth replenishment cycle​, indicating that nature remains a priority, as in this image, where a veterinary team applies a collar to a sedated elephant​ in KwaZulu-Natal​, South Africa, as part of an ambitious project aimed at conserving the animals. Credit: Dan Ingham/IPS

SAINT LUCIA, Apr 9 2026 (IPS) – With just four years left to meet a series of global environmental targets, governments are committing to shore up one of the world’s main environmental funds, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), with a $3.9 billion pledge.

The funding will form the backbone of the GEF’s ninth replenishment cycle, known as GEF-9, a four-year financing round running from July 2026 to June 2030. Those years are widely seen as decisive for slowing biodiversity loss, tackling pollution and keeping climate goals within reach.

While the $3.9 billion pledge signals renewed momentum, it comes at a moment of deepening environmental strain. Ecosystems are continuing to decline, coral reefs are bleaching at scale and small island states are already grappling with the economic and social fallout of environmental change.

“This replenishment sends a clear message: the world is not giving up on nature,” said Claude Gascon, the GEF’s interim chief executive. He noted that donor countries had “risen to the challenge and made bold commitments towards a more positive future for the planet” despite competing global priorities.

“The coming four years of the GEF-9 cycle will reflect this high-ambition push to achieve the 2030 environmental goals,” he said.

The GEF, the world’s largest multilateral environmental fund, supports developing countries in meeting commitments under major global agreements on climate change, biodiversity, land degradation, chemicals, and ocean governance. Since its establishment, it has provided more than $27 billion in grants and mobilised a further $155 billion in co-financing.

The GEF announced it had raised USD 3.9 billion for its ninth replenishment cycle to meet international environmental goals. Credit: Kea Mowat/Unsplash

GEF’s next funding round, its ninth replenishment cycle, aims to scale investment and mobilise private capital to close widening environmental financing gaps. Credit: Kea Mowat/Unsplash

Rewiring Economies Around Nature

At the centre of the new funding cycle is a push toward what the GEF calls “nature-positive development”. It is an effort to embed environmental value into economic decision-making rather than treating it as a secondary concern.

That includes reworking systems that drive environmental degradation, such as food production, energy, urban development and public health, so they operate within ecological limits.

The strategy also leans heavily on attracting private investment. Around 25% of GEF-9 resources are expected to be used to mobilise private capital, reflecting a growing recognition that public funding alone cannot close the global environmental financing gap.

Focus on the Most Vulnerable

The allocation of funds carries a clear political signal.

At least 35 percent of resources are expected to go to Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), countries that contribute least to environmental degradation but face some of its most severe impacts. A further 20% is earmarked for Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

For Caribbean nations, where coastal erosion, stronger storms and coral reef loss are already reshaping economies, the funding could prove significant if it translates quickly into action on the ground.

“We need multilateral cooperation more than ever to protect our planet for future generations,” said Niels Annen, describing the replenishment as a “joint effort” between countries in the Global North and South. “Environmental action and sustainable development have to go hand in hand. In GEF-9, we see Germany’s priorities very well reflected: innovative finance for nature and people, better cooperation with the private sector and stable resources for the most vulnerable countries.”

Support for the funding round has also come from Spain and Mexico, with Inés Carpio San Román emphasising the importance of “effective multilateralism” and Mexico backing “country-driven solutions” to global environmental challenges.

Calls to Deliver Results

Civil society groups have welcomed the increased emphasis on inclusion, particularly the allocation for Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

“This will strengthen a whole-of-society approach,” said Faizal Parish, Chair of the GEF’s Civil Society Organization Network, while Aliou Mustafa, of the GEF’s Indigenous Peoples Advisory Group, said the shift reflects efforts to place Indigenous groups “at the centre of decision-making.”

Still, expectations are high and time is short.

“The environmental crises we face are accelerating,” said Richard Bontjer. He described the  replenishment as “a vote of confidence” while stressing that “every dollar must count.”

“This replenishment will sharpen the GEF’s focus on impact, drive greater efficiency and mobilize private finance alongside public investment. It will also strengthen support to SIDS and LDCs and give recognition to the importance of supporting Indigenous Peoples and local communities.”

With the 2030 deadline fast approaching, the success of this funding round will ultimately be judged not by the size of the pledges but by how quickly they translate into measurable gains—restored ecosystems, protected coastlines and more resilient economies.

For countries on the frontlines, including those in the Caribbean, the $3.9 billion is not just another funding cycle.

It is a narrowing window of opportunity.

Additional pledges are expected before the end-of-May GEF Council meeting, when countries will lock in the final size and ambition of the four-year funding round.

The 71st GEF Council meeting will be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from May 31 to June 3, 2026. The meeting will take place in advance of the Eighth GEF Assembly, when individual country pledges will be publicly announced.

Note: This feature is published with the support of the GEF. IPS is solely responsible for the editorial content, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of the GEF.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

Once Evicted From This Kashmir Lake, People Now Seen as Its Saviours

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Environment

Boats docked outside a house in Dal Lake with a green film on the water in the foreground. Credit: Athar Parvaiz/IPS

Boats docked outside a house in Dal Lake with a green film on the water in the foreground. Credit: Athar Parvaiz/IPS

SRINAGAR, India, Mar 31 2026 (IPS) – For the past few weeks, residents living in and around Dal Lake in Indian Kashmir have witnessed “a different phenomenon” as a green sludge has accumulated on the once pristine water. Photos circulating widely on social media triggered a public outcry.

Some citizens and environmentalists warned that the transformation reflects heavy sewage pollution in this Himalayan Lake in the heart of Srinagar, Kashmir’s summer capital.  The Dal Lake is a complex wetland ecosystem covering roughly 18 square kilometres that supports fisheries, aquatic vegetation, and thousands of livelihoods tied to tourism and lake agriculture.

Officials managing the lake, however, urged calm and said that the sudden discolouration was most likely caused by a lack of rainfall and unusual temperatures for the season in Kashmir, though they didn’t deny the pollution problem and nutrient richness in the lake.

Muzamil Ahmad Rafiqui, Superintending Engineer for Kashmir’s Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA), said that the lake is receiving nutrients, pesticides and other pollutants from the peripheries at many sources because of agricultural and other activities.

But Rafiqui added that the discolouration was more so due to over 50 percent reduction in precipitation and constant above-normal temperatures for weeks in this part of the season in Kashmir.

“Also, when the inflow from all the channels supplying water to the lake is extremely low and the outflow gates of the lake are also closed for retaining water in the lake, it is quite natural there will be changes in the water colour in a stagnant water body,” Rafiqui said.

Experts, scientific studies and official watchdogs have highlighted decades of pollution, sewage inflow and unregulated urban growth that have steadily degraded this iconic lake in the Kashmir Himalayas. A report submitted by Kashmir’s Pollution Control Committee (PCC) to the National Green Tribunal in response to the latter’s directions and other reports in recent years confirmed the “unabated flow of untreated sewage” into the Dal Lake in “violation of environmental norms”.

From Exclusion to Participation     

Earlier this year, the Jammu and Kashmir government, in a dramatic policy shift, shelved a 416-crore rupees (USD 4.5 million) Dal Lake restoration project that had started implementation nearly two decades ago but had made little progress. The project aimed to move nearly 9,000 families living near Dal Lake to the city outskirts but was able to relocate only 1,808 families in 17 years.

The project, approved in 2009, centred on relocating thousands of families living inside the lake to newly built colonies on the outskirts of Srinagar, as the authorities believed human settlements within the lake were a major source of pollution and encroachment.

Now the government has abandoned the relocation-driven strategy altogether. In its place, officials are now promoting an in-situ conservation model that recognises lake dwellers as part of the ecosystem rather than obstacles to restoration.

The new approach proposes developing “eco-hamlets” within the lake’s settlements, installing sewage systems, treating inflowing drains and improving water circulation through dredging and channel restoration.

“It is a striking shift in philosophy. The very communities who were once blamed for the lake’s decline are now being seen as potential guardians,” said Raja Muzaffar Bhat, a prominent environmental and social activist based in Srinagar who often files petitions in India’s National Green Tribunal against the local administration for “failing to implement environmental safety rules and regulations” available under a broader regulatory framework in India for environmental protection.

Whether the new conservation strategy succeeds, said Bhat, may depend on “whether it combines community participation with stronger environmental governance.”

Iftikhar Drabu, a senior engineer who specialises in water engineering, warned that without stronger sewage infrastructure, strict regulation of tourism and effective monitoring of inflowing drains, community participation alone will not restore the lake. “Nothing will work in isolation. A multi-pronged approach is needed for conserving the lake,” he said.

‘We Know How to Protect the Lake’

For many families who have so far been relocated, the policy reversal has reopened painful questions. At Rakh-e-Arath, a rehabilitation colony on Srinagar’s outskirts built for displaced lake residents. “They told us our presence was destroying the lake. We believed the government and moved here,” said a resident, Mohammd Ashraf, whose family was relocated 10 years back, adding that life away from the water, all these years, has been difficult.

“Our time was wasted and our livelihoods were ruined,” he said. “We only know the lake as we were born there and have spent our childhood and youth by the lake. Fishing, growing vegetables on floating gardens, and rowing tourists in small boats are what we are adapted to,” Ashraf told Inter Press Service (IPS).

If the government now says people are needed to protect the lake, he said, “I welcome it, and I hope we will be taken back to the lake.” Other relocated families, who IPS spoke with, expressed similar feelings.

Communities living on the lake have historically maintained its channels, harvested weeds and monitored changes in water conditions. Integrating them into restoration efforts, they say, could help control the pollution and conserve the lake. “We have always been urging the government to give us the responsibility of conserving the lake. We are the ones who know the lake, not the people who sit in government offices,” said Akram Guru, a Shikara Walla at Dal Lake.

“We have been dubbed as the lake’s destroyers for decades. Now they say the lake needs its people,” he said smilingly. “I hope the change in the government’s approach finally facilitates our contribution to protecting the lake.”

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Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi Launch $7.12 Million GEF Project to Protect the Ruvuma Basin

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Environment

The Ruvuma River winds through wetlands and forests in southern Tanzania, forming part of the natural border with Mozambique. The river sustains farming, fishing and wildlife across the vast Ruvuma River Basin, supporting millions of people who depend on its waters for their livelihoods. Credit: Kizito Makoye/IPS

The Ruvuma River winds through wetlands and forests in southern Tanzania, forming part of the natural border with Mozambique. The river sustains farming, fishing and wildlife across the vast Ruvuma River Basin, supporting millions of people who depend on its waters for their livelihoods. Credit: Kizito Makoye/IPS

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Mar 16 2026 (IPS) – At dawn, the Ruvuma River moves quietly through a vast wetland along the border between Tanzania and Mozambique. Its muddy waters appear calm, disturbed only by drifting logs and the occasional ripple.

But the fishermen paddling wooden canoes across the river know the danger that lurks under the surface.

“Always keep away from the edge,” says Hamisi Mkude, a fisherman from Michenjele village. “Never trust this river.”

For generations, communities living along the Ruvuma Basin have learned to coexist with crocodiles, whose presence defines life on one of East Africa’s most dangerous rivers. Fishermen follow unwritten rules passed down through families: stay away from the water’s edge, avoid muddy banks marked by crocodile tracks, and never wade into the river.

“That distance saves lives,” Mkude tells IPS by phone. “Crocodiles attack from the bank.”

Inside the small fishing boats, discipline is strict. Arms and legs must never dangle over the side, and no one stands on the canoe’s edge while pulling in nets.

Yet despite the dangers, the Ruvuma River remains the lifeline of millions of people who live within its vast basin.

Stretching across about 155,000 square kilometres, the Ruvuma Basin connects southern Tanzania’s highlands with eastern Malawi and northern Mozambique before snaking into the Indian Ocean. Along its long journey, the river nourishes forests, wetlands and fertile floodplains that support farming, fishing and transport.

But the ecosystem that sustains these communities is increasingly under pressure from deforestation, unsustainable land use and climate change.

Now, Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi have launched a new regional initiative aimed at protecting the fragile ecosystems of the basin.

Delegates from Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi pose for a group photo during the inception workshop launching the “Strengthening Integrated Transboundary Source-to-Sea Management of the Ruvuma River Basin and Its Coastal Zones” project at Johari Rotana on March 4, 2026. The five-year, USD 7.12 million initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility aims to improve cross-border management of the Ruvuma River Basin, protecting ecosystems while strengthening livelihoods for communities across Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi. Credit: Kizito Makoye/IPS

Delegates from Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi pose for a group photo during the inception workshop launching the “Strengthening Integrated Transboundary Source-to-Sea Management of the Ruvuma River Basin and Its Coastal Zones” project at Johari Rotana on March 4, 2026. The five-year, $7.12 million initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility aims to improve cross-border management of the Ruvuma River Basin, protecting ecosystems while strengthening livelihoods for communities across Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi. Credit: Kizito Makoye/IPS

A Transboundary Effort

The three countries have unveiled a project to strengthen environmental management across the Ruvuma Basin.

Officials announced the initiative during a workshop in Dar es Salaam, bringing together policymakers, scientists and conservationists concerned about the basin’s future.

The programme will be implemented with USD 7.12 million in funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with Global Water Partnership Southern Africa and Wetlands International.

About 65 percent of the basin lies in Mozambique, 34 percent in Tanzania, and a small portion in Malawi, making cooperation between the three countries essential.

“This inception workshop marks an important milestone,” said Julie Mulonga, director of Wetlands International Eastern Africa. “It represents the transition from planning to implementation, when our shared vision begins to translate into coordinated action.”

The initiative aims to improve management of forests, wetlands and water resources from the upper catchments of the basin to its coastal ecosystems.

A River That Sustains Millions

The Ruvuma River begins in the highlands of southern Tanzania and flows more than 800 kilometres to the Indian Ocean.

Along the way, it supports a wide range of ecosystems, including wetlands, forests, floodplains and estuaries that are among the most biologically diverse landscapes in southeastern Africa.

For communities scattered along its banks, the river is central to daily life.

Farmers depend on its waters to irrigate crops such as maize, rice and cassava. Fishermen rely on the river for their daily catch. Women collect water for cooking and washing, while pastoralists bring livestock to drink.

Seasonal rhythms shape life across the basin.

During the rainy season, the river swells and floods surrounding wetlands that serve as breeding grounds for fish and wildlife. In the dry months, shrinking channels concentrate fish stocks that sustain local economies.

But these natural cycles are becoming increasingly unpredictable.

“The Ruvuma landscape is both ecologically important and socially vital,” Mulonga told participants at the meeting. “Its wetlands, forests and agricultural lands support millions of people across Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique.”

“These ecosystems regulate water resources, sustain biodiversity and underpin livelihoods and food security,” she added.

Growing Environmental Pressures

Environmental experts warn that the basin’s ecosystems are under mounting strain.

Across the region, forests are being cleared for farmland and charcoal production. Hillsides once covered with woodland are now exposed to erosion, sending sediment into rivers and damaging aquatic habitats.

Population growth is increasing demand for land, while climate change is altering rainfall patterns.

“Land degradation, unsustainable farming and deforestation are placing increasing pressure on these ecosystems,” Mulonga said.

Scientists warn that without coordinated action, the basin could lose ecological functions that are vital for both biodiversity and human livelihoods.

A “Source-to-Sea” Approach

The new initiative adopts what experts call a “source-to-sea” approach, recognising that environmental activities upstream can affect ecosystems downstream.

For example, deforestation in the upper catchments can increase soil erosion and sediment in rivers, affecting fisheries and coastal habitats further along the basin.

Project planners say the programme will focus on improving land management in agricultural areas, restoring degraded landscapes and protecting wetlands.

“The Ruvuma River Basin serves as a vital lifeline for millions across Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania,” said Andrew Hume, International Waters Focal Area Coordinator at the Global Environment Facility.

“This project demonstrates how safeguarding the basin depends on a shared vision and collaborative transboundary efforts. By supporting this initiative, the GEF is helping to connect land, freshwater, and marine management in a model that transcends national borders. This comprehensive, source-to-sea approach reflects our commitment to protecting international waters and will guide our future investments in shared ecosystems as we move toward GEF-9.”

The project aims to restore about 88,620 hectares of degraded ecosystems while improving landscape management across nearly 280,000 hectares. More than 50,000 people are expected to benefit directly from the initiative.

Representatives from conservation organisations say the project could demonstrate how integrated environmental management can work across national borders.

“The project embodies an integrated vision of land, freshwater and marine resources,” said a representative from the IUCN. “It positions the Ruvuma Basin as a model for transboundary resource management and sustainable development.”

Cooperation Across Borders

Because the river crosses national boundaries, cooperation among the three countries is critical.

Decisions made upstream can have consequences downstream.

For instance, changes in land use in Tanzania may affect water flows in Mozambique, while environmental degradation in Malawi could influence sediment levels in the lower basin.

For years, limited coordination between countries made it difficult to manage the basin effectively.

But officials say that is beginning to change.

The three countries have signed agreements to strengthen collaboration through the Joint Development and Management of the Ruvuma Basin.

James Chitete, head of the Malawian delegation, said the project represents an opportunity for shared responsibility.

“The project is not only about water management,” he said. “It is about safeguarding ecosystems, improving livelihoods and ensuring our natural resources benefit present and future generations.”

Improving Knowledge and Governance

Beyond environmental restoration, the initiative will also focus on strengthening governance and scientific research.

Experts say that data on water flows and environmental changes in the basin remain limited.

The project aims to improve hydrological monitoring and data sharing between the three countries to help policymakers make informed decisions.

“The source-to-sea approach recognises that land management affects river health and coastal ecosystems,” said the chairperson of the Joint Development and Management of the Ruvuma Basin.

“Decisions made in one part of the basin can have consequences across borders.”

Communities at the Centre

Experts stress that local communities must play a central role in protecting the basin.

Farmers, fishermen and pastoralists interact with the landscape every day, making them key partners in conservation efforts.

The project therefore emphasises community participation and aims to involve women and youth in environmental decision-making.

“The Ruvuma River Basin is a shared resource and opportunity,” said Shamiso Kumbirai of Global Water Partnership Southern Africa.

“Through cooperation and inclusive governance, this project can strengthen ecosystem health and regional collaboration.”

Protecting Wetlands

Wetlands – often overlooked in development planning – are receiving particular attention under the initiative.

These ecosystems act as natural filters, trapping sediment and pollutants before they reach rivers.

They also store water during rainy seasons and release it gradually during dry periods, helping regulate river flows and reduce flood risks.

“Wetlands are often undervalued,” Mulonga said.

“Yet they regulate water flows, reduce flood risks and support biodiversity. They are natural infrastructure that enhances climate resilience.”

Climate Change Challenges

Climate variability is already affecting communities along the Ruvuma River.

Farmers report shifting rainfall patterns that disrupt planting seasons, while fishermen say fish populations are changing as water temperatures fluctuate.

Floods have also become more intense in recent years, damaging homes and crops.

To address these challenges, the project will promote nature-based solutions such as forest restoration, sustainable agriculture and wetland conservation.

Experts say strengthening ecosystems can help communities adapt to climate change while protecting biodiversity.

Life Along the River

Back on the Ruvuma River, fishermen like Abdallah Hassan say they understand the delicate balance between humans and nature.

Declining fish stocks or polluted water would threaten their livelihoods.

“You must respect the river,” Hassan says. “If you respect it, it will feed you.”

As the meeting in Dar es Salaam concludes, officials express cautious optimism that the new initiative could improve cooperation and restore degraded ecosystems across the basin.

Conservation groups say the project could also become a model for transboundary environmental management in Africa.

For communities living along the river, the stakes are high.

At sunset, fishermen pull in their nets as lanterns flicker on the darkening waters of the Ruvuma.

Beneath the surface, crocodiles slither silently.

For generations, survival here has depended on knowledge, discipline and cooperation — principles that the three nations now hope will guide the protection of the river they share.

For fishermen like Mkude, the hope is simple: That the Ruvuma River will endure for generations to come.

Note: This feature is published with the support of the GEF. IPS is solely responsible for the editorial content, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of the GEF

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

As Biodiversity Loss Grows, Rome Talks Urge Nations to Step Up Action

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Biodiversity

A red panda – labelled ‘endangered’ by the IUCN – at an animal sanctuary in the Indian state of West Bengal. As biodiversity loss accelerates, UNCBD is asking countries to take greater action to protect it. Credit: Stella Paul/IPS

A red panda – labelled ‘endangered’ by the IUCN – at an animal sanctuary in the Indian state of West Bengal. As biodiversity loss accelerates, UNCBD is asking countries to take greater action to protect it. Credit: Stella Paul/IPS

ROME & NEW DELHI, Feb 23 2026 (IPS) – Governments meeting in Rome last week acknowledged that global efforts to protect nature are still not moving fast enough, even as biodiversity loss continues to affect ecosystems, livelihoods, and economies worldwide.

The warning came as the sixth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-6) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) concluded after four days of negotiations focused on how countries are putting global biodiversity commitments into practice.

Held at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the meeting is the first major checkpoint in a year of intensive talks leading to the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP17) in October in Yerevan, Armenia. There, governments will carry out the first global review of progress under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

From Promises to Practice

At the centre of discussions in Rome was the challenge of turning global promises into action on the ground. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), adopted in 2022, sets out 23 targets to be achieved by 2030, including protecting and restoring ecosystems, reducing pollution, cutting harmful subsidies, and ensuring fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources.

While most governments have formally endorsed the framework, SBI-6 revealed that implementation remains uneven. Negotiators worked through recommendations on biodiversity finance, national planning, gender equality, capacity-building, international cooperation, and access and benefit-sharing. Many of these were adopted without brackets, suggesting broad agreement.

“This has been a long week for all,” said Clarissa Souza Della Nina, Chair of the meeting, as she closed the afternoon plenary and announced that delegates would meet again in the evening. She noted that turning global ambitions into real action on the ground requires strong systems and institutions, and that this is not an easy process.

“The conclusion of SBI-6 marks an important early milestone in a very demanding year,” said Souza Della Nina, highlighting the efforts made by countries to work together and find common ground.

But behind the consensus language, discussions repeatedly returned to the same concern: global ambition is not yet being matched by national action.

SBI 6 Chair Clarissa Souza Della Nina, Brazil; Asad Naqvi, SBI 6 Secretary; and CBD Executive Secretary Astrid Schomaker celebrating the first conference room paper being approved. Credit: IISD/ENB, Mike Muzurakis

SBI 6 Chair Clarissa Souza Della Nina, Brazil; Asad Naqvi, SBI 6 Secretary; and CBD Executive Secretary Astrid Schomaker celebrate the first conference room paper being approved. Credit: IISD/ENB, Mike Muzurakis

National Plans Show Mixed Progress

A key input to the Rome meeting was an analysis by the CBD Secretariat of national biodiversity strategies and targets submitted so far. These national plans are the main way countries translate the global framework into domestic policies.

The analysis covered 51 National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and 130 sets of national targets. It found that while progress is being made, many plans fall short of the scale of change required.

About 75 percent of Parties have submitted national targets, but fewer have updated their full national strategies. Even among submitted plans, several global targets are only partially addressed. Social and economic aspects of biodiversity loss — including links to livelihoods, equity, and development — tend to receive less attention than conservation measures.

“These findings show clearly where we stand,” said Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the CBD. “They also show that countries still have the opportunity to raise ambition and speed up action before the global review.”

The first global review of progress under the KMGBF will take place at COP17. A major source of information for that review will be the seventh National Reports, which countries are required to submit by 28 February 2026.

By the end of SBI-6, the European Union, Lesotho, Uganda, and Switzerland had submitted their reports. Several other countries said they were close to completion, while others cited difficulties related to limited staff, technical challenges, or delays in accessing funds.

Delegates stressed that timely reporting is essential, not only for transparency but also to ensure that the global review reflects the realities faced by countries at different levels of development.

Gender and Inclusion Lag Behind

Another issue that drew attention in Rome was the limited integration of gender equality into biodiversity action. Under the global framework, countries have committed to ensuring the full and meaningful participation of women and girls, including those from indigenous peoples and local communities.

Yet the Secretariat’s analysis showed that only around 40 percent of national targets refer to gender-related issues, and only about 20 percent address women’s rights to land and natural resources. Even fewer countries reported involving women’s organisations in the preparation of national biodiversity plans.

For many participants, this gap was a reminder that biodiversity loss is not only an environmental issue but also a social one.

“Without addressing inequality, we will not succeed in protecting nature,” said Gillian Guthrie, a delegate from Jamaica, during the discussions, urging governments still updating their plans to take a more inclusive approach.

Money and Capacity Remain Major Hurdles

Financing biodiversity action was another recurring theme. Although the most detailed negotiations on biodiversity finance are scheduled for later this year, talks in Rome were informed by new studies on funding needs, the relationship between debt and biodiversity spending, and opportunities to better align biodiversity and climate finance.

Developing countries repeatedly pointed to limited financial resources, lack of access to technology, and institutional constraints as barriers to implementation. These challenges were reflected in the meeting itself, where several delegations consisted of a single representative struggling to follow multiple negotiating tracks.

The CBD Secretariat thanked donor countries that contributed to a special trust fund to support participation and called on others to do the same. Without broader support, delegates warned, global biodiversity decision-making risks leaving some voices unheard.

A decisive year ahead

The recommendations adopted at SBI-6 will now be forwarded to COP17, where governments will assess whether collective action so far is enough to meet the biodiversity targets set for 2030.

For many participants, the Rome meeting served as both a progress report and a warning. While cooperation is improving and more countries are engaging with the global framework, biodiversity loss continues to affect food systems, health, and economic stability, particularly in the Global South.

As delegates left Rome, the message was clear: the coming months will be critical. Whether the world can move from commitments to meaningful action will be tested in Yerevan, Armenia — and the stakes, many warned, could not be higher.

Below are some of the highlights of the 4-day meeting:

  • The sixth meeting of the Subsidiary Body (SBI-6) on Implementation under the Convention on Biological Diversity began the first global review of how countries are acting to protect nature.
  • An official analysis of national biodiversity plans showed progress but also revealed wide gaps between global goals and what many countries have committed to do at home.
  • Around three-quarters of countries have submitted national biodiversity targets, but far fewer have updated full national strategies or addressed social and economic aspects of biodiversity loss.
  • Gender equality and the participation of women, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities remain weak in many national plans, despite being central to the global biodiversity agreement.
  • Developing countries highlighted ongoing challenges linked to limited funding, lack of technical capacity, and difficulty accessing resources needed to implement biodiversity actions.
  • The outcomes from Rome will shape how global progress on biodiversity is measured and reviewed, setting the tone for accountability and action in the run-up to 2030.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

From Pledges to Proof: UN Biodiversity Meeting Begins First Global Review of Nature Action

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The 6th meeting of the Subsidiary Body of Implementation (SBI-6) is in progress in Rome. Credit: Mike Muzurakis | IISD/ENB

The 6th meeting of the Subsidiary Body of Implementation (SBI-6) is in progress in Rome. Credit: Mike Muzurakis | IISD/ENB |

ROME & DELHI, Feb 17 2026 (IPS) – Governments convened in Rome on Monday (February 16) for a critical round of UN biodiversity negotiations, launching the world’s first global review of how countries are acting to protect nature.

The sixth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-6) of the Convention on Biological Diversity opened at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), drawing government negotiators, technical experts and civil society observers from around the world. It will continue until February 19.

Although considered a technical gathering, the four-day session is expected to play a decisive role in shaping how progress under the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework will be assessed and whether political promises can be translated into measurable, on-the-ground action.

“This is a moment to move from commitments to delivery,” said Clarissa Souza Della Nina of Brazil, Chair of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation. “The task before us is to help countries accelerate action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.”

Clarissa Souza Della Nina of Brazil, Chair of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation. Credit: Mike Muzurakis | IISD/ENB

Clarissa Souza Della Nina of Brazil, Chair of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation. Credit: Mike Muzurakis | IISD/ENB

A Global Stocktake for Nature

The Rome talks come two years after countries completed the first global stocktake under the Paris Agreement, which confirmed the world remains far off track on climate goals.

Now, a parallel exercise begins for biodiversity.

Under the CBD, governments will undertake the first global review of progress in implementing the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), adopted in 2022. The framework includes 23 targets spanning conservation, finance, equity and economic transformation, with the overarching objective of halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030.

Biodiversity tracking is more complex than emissions accounting, but, according to CBD leadership, it is urgently needed.

“The time has come to make peace with nature… the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Paris Agreement in a synergistic fashion will make peace with nature within reach,” said Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Why Rome Matters

SBI-6 plays a central role in preparing for the upcoming global biodiversity review by examining implementation progress, highlighting gaps, and proposing ways to accelerate action. Negotiators will submit the outcomes directly to COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia, later this year.

“One year after COP16 concluded here in Rome, we must ensure these meetings deliver real progress. Submitting national reports on time is essential for a strong and credible global review in the race to 2030,” Schomaker said.

A major focus of SBI-6 is the Secretariat’s analysis of national biodiversity strategies and action plans submitted since 2022. But despite growing momentum, significant gaps persist. Many strategies still do not adequately integrate Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, youth, or the private sector. Crucial targets relating to economic and social transformation — including sustainable consumption, equity and benefit sharing — remain underemphasised.

Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), underscored the stakes at the launch of the State of Finance for Nature 2026 report:

“Whether investments flow into nature’s destruction or into its protection will determine if we live in climate-vulnerable concrete jungles or in climate-resilient green cities,” she warned, stressing that financial and policy decisions made today will shape countries’ ability to meet biodiversity goals.

An indigenous woman and biodiversity defender from the Amazon is pictured holding a forest coconut. Women are asking for better implementation of article 23 of the KMGBF. Credit: Stella Paul/IPS

An indigenous woman and biodiversity defender from the Amazon is pictured holding a forest coconut. Women are asking for better implementation of article 23 of the KMGBF. Credit: Stella Paul/IPS

Gender, Finance and Capacity Challenges

Delegates are also reviewing progress under the CBD Gender Plan of Action (2023–2030). Early assessments show that only a quarter of countries involved women’s groups in shaping biodiversity strategies, and just 12 percent plan to do so in the future.

“Ensuring the full, effective and meaningful participation of women and other rights holders is fundamental to accountability, inclusivity and the effectiveness of biodiversity action, and to achieving the full ambition of the global framework,” the CBD Women’s Caucus stated in its official submission.

Finance remains another major point of discussion. While major funding decisions are expected later this year, Rome’s deliberations draw heavily on new research on biodiversity finance, sovereign debt, and the connections between climate and nature funding.

“If we want to mobilise the finance and resources that nature critically needs, business, finance and governments must confront the reality that persistent gaps in reliable data, incentives and institutional capacity are holding back meaningful action — and unless these barriers are addressed, many countries and sectors will continue to struggle to turn agreed goals into results,” said Matt Jones, Co-Chair of the IPBES Business and Biodiversity Assessment 2026.

Countdown to National Reports

The Rome meeting comes just weeks before countries must submit their Seventh National Reports under the CBD, due on 28 February 2026.

These national publications will serve as a principal source of information for the global biodiversity review, alongside national strategies and targets.

However, many countries remain unprepared to submit on time. On day one, Brazil, one of the most influential players in global biodiversity policy, stressed the need for flexibility.

“Ensuring the quality, consistency and internal validation of data and indicators requires additional time. In this context, Brazil suggests that SBI recommendations prioritise technical guidance, operational flexibility and targeted capacity-building support to enable high-quality reporting, rather than focusing solely on reinforcing deadlines,” the country’s delegate said.

A Test of Accountability

While SBI-6 is unlikely to produce headline-grabbing announcements, it will shape how global biodiversity action is evaluated over the next decade.

For Indigenous Peoples and local communities—who steward a significant share of the world’s remaining biodiversity—the meeting represents a critical test of whether rights, participation and lived realities will be meaningfully reflected in the global assessment process.

“This process must lead to accountability, not just documentation,” emphasised Pirawan Wongnithisathaporn, the Environment Program Officer at the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), calling for tangible action rather than reporting alone.

SBI-6 will conclude on Thursday, February 19. Negotiations will continue at SBI-7 in August 2026 as governments move steadily toward the first global biodiversity review at COP17.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

Support Science in Halting Global Biodiversity Crisis—King Charles

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David Oburo, IPBES Chair. Credit: Busani Bafana/IPS

David Oburo, IPBES Chair. Credit: Busani Bafana/IPS

BULAWAYO, Feb 3 2026 (IPS) – British Monarch King Charles says science is the solution to protecting nature and halting global biodiversity loss, which is threatening humanity’s survival.

In a message to the 12th session of the Plenary of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which opened in Manchester, United Kingdom, this week, King Charles said nature is an important part of humanity but is under serious threat, which science can help tackle.

“We are witnessing an unprecedented, triple crisis of biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution at a pace that far outstrips the planet’s ability to cope,” said King Charles in a message delivered by Emma Reynolds, United Kingdom Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Science is the Solution

“The best available science can help inform decisions and actions to steward nature and, most importantly, to restore it for future generations, “ King Charles noted, pointing out that humanity has the knowledge to reverse the existential crisis and transition towards an economy that prospers in harmony with nature.

Delegates representing the more than 150 IPBES member governments, observers, Indigenous Peoples,  local communities and scientists are meeting for the  IPBES’ 12th Session, expected to approve a landmark new IPBES Business & Biodiversity Assessment. The report,  a 3-year scientific assessment involving 80 expert authors from every region of the world, will become the accepted state of science on the impacts and dependencies of business on biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people. It will provide decision-makers with evidence and options for action to measure and better manage business relationships with nature.

The King lauded IPBES for bringing together the world’s leading scientists, indigenous and local knowledge, citizen science and government to share valuable knowledge through the Business and Biodiversity Report—the first of its kind.

“I pray with all my heart that it will help shape concrete action for years to come, including leveraging public and private finance to close by 2030 the annual global biodiversity gap of approximately USD 700 billion,” said King Charles.

IPBES Chair, Dr. David Obura, highlighted that the approval of the IPBES Business and Biodiversity Assessment is important just days after the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Global Risks Report again spotlighted biodiversity loss as the second most urgent long-term risk to business around the world.

“In transitioning and transforming, businesses should all experience the rewards of being sustainable and vibrant, benefiting small and large,” Obura emphasized. “The Business Biodiversity assessment synthesizes the many tools and pathways available to do this and provides critical support for businesses across all countries to work with nature and people and not to work against either or both.”

Addressing the same delegates, Emma Reynolds,  UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, highlighted the urgency of collective action, the critical role of science, and the opportunities for business in nature.

Reynolds noted there was momentum around the world as countries were restoring wetlands and forests, communities were reviving degraded landscapes and businesses were increasingly investing in nature after realizing that nature delivers real returns.

“The tide for nature is beginning to turn, but we cannot afford to slow down,” said Reynolds. “The window to halt diversity loss by 2030 is narrowing. We need to build on that momentum, and we need to do it now.”

Multilateralism, a must for protecting nature

Paying tribute to IPBES for supporting scientific research, Reynolds emphasized that the rest of the world must step forward when others are stepping back from international cooperation. This is to demonstrate that protecting and restoring nature was not just an environmental necessity but essential for global security and the economy.

“The UK’s commitment to multilateralism remains steadfast,” she said. “We believe that by working together, sharing knowledge, aligning policies, and holding one another accountable, we can halt and reverse the diversity loss by 2030,.“

In January 2026, the United States withdrew its participation in IPBES, alongside 65  international organizations and bodies, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.

The United States was a founding member of IPBES, and since its establishment in 2012, scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders—including Indigenous Peoples and local communities—from the United States have been among the most engaged contributors to its work.

The approval of the Business and Biodiversity Assessment by IPBES government members this week will be multilateralism in action, she said, noting that the assessment would not be possible without the critical role of science.

Reynolds underscored the need to base sound policy on solid scientific evidence. Decisions made in negotiating rooms and capitals around the world must be guided by the best and most up-to-date science available. IPBES  exists to provide exactly that.

Noting that the business depends on nature for raw materials, clean water, a stable climate, and food, Reynolds said companies that recognize their dependency on nature are proving that nature-positive investment works.

“Business as well as the government must act now to protect and restore nature… we have the science. We have the frameworks… What we need now is action.”

“Nature loss is now a systemic economic risk. That’s precisely why the assessment on business impact and dependencies is both urgent and necessary,” said  Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

“The first-ever business and diversity assessment will deliver authoritative evidence on how businesses depend on nature, how they impact it, and what that means for risk, for resilience, and for long-term value creation.”

Business and Biodiversity are linked

Underscoring that biodiversity loss is linked to the wider planetary crisis, Astrid Schomaker, executive secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, paid tribute to IPBES as a provider of science as a public good.

“IPBES has remained a  ‘beacon of knowledge at a time when science  and knowledge itself is under strain and when the voices of disinformation are sometimes louder than the facts,” said Schomaker, noting that ahead of the first global stocktake of progress in the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), the science provided by IPBES would be invaluable.

“The Business and Biodiversity assessment constitutes a win for everyone. Clarifying that biodiversity loss isn’t just an environmental issue; it’s a serious threat to economic systems, livelihoods, business profitability, and societal resilience. Biodiversity simply underpins and provides the stability we all need.”

Target 15 of the KMGBF, focuses on business reducing negative impacts on biodiversity and global businesses need to assess and disclose biodiversity-related impacts.

IPBES executive secretary, Dr. Luthando Dziba, said IPBES was on track to deliver, in the coming years, crucial knowledge and inspiration to support the implementation of current goals and targets of the KMGBF, and to provide the scientific foundation needed by the many processes now shaping the global agenda beyond 2030.

IPS UN Bureau Report