* New contributions from Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, the UK, and Québec introduced at COP16.
* The assist from Québec is the GBFF’s first pledge from a sub-national authorities.
* The GBFF now has 12 contributors together with Canada, Japan, Luxembourg, and Spain.
Eight governments pledged an extra $163 million to the International Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) on Monday, offering new focused assist to international locations and communities working to preserve, restore, and make sure the long-term well being of untamed species and ecosystems.
Throughout the Conference on Organic Range’s sixteenth Convention of the Events (COP16), representatives from Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, the UK, and Québec introduced new financing for the fund that helps implementation of the Kunming-Montreal International Biodiversity Framework.
They had been joined by representatives of the GBFF’s different early contributors together with Canada, Japan, Luxembourg, and Spain, and from international locations which have acquired assist up to now from the International Atmosphere Facility-hosted fund, amongst them Brazil, Gabon, Mexico, and Fiji, plus representatives of Indigenous Peoples and native communities, main philanthropies, and implementing company companions such because the World Financial institution.
“I wish to thank the nationwide and subnational donors who stepped ahead at the moment to contribute to the International Biodiversity Framework Fund. We all know that the fund is required now greater than ever. We want it to be capitalized to allow assets to movement urgently to the nationwide implementation of the International Biodiversity Framework,” mentioned Astrid Schomaker, Govt Secretary of the Conference on Organic Range. “That is about cash and morale. A message of hope and world solidarity.”
“I feel this session and the pledges that may come to the GBFF is essential for the following days and the choices that we’ll be taking,” mentioned Colombia’s Atmosphere Minister and COP16 President Susana Muhamad. “All of us ought to think about ourselves companions with a standard goal, which is definitely on this case having the ability to implement the Kunming-Montreal International Biodiversity Framework.”
The GBFF was established on the request of events to the Conference on Organic Range’s COP15, and was launched lower than a 12 months later on the Seventh GEF Meeting in August 2023. It has streamlined procedures to offer environment friendly assist for growing international locations, and might obtain contributions from all sources, together with public, non-public, and philanthropies.
“In lower than one 12 months, the GBFF has moved from launch to full-speed operation, with tasks already reviewed, accredited, and funded, and lots of extra within the pipeline. The rising variety of governments contributing to the GBFF is an indication of its momentum,” mentioned GEF CEO and Chairperson Carlos Manuel Rodríguez. “Now that the fund is up and operating, we’ve the methods in place to disburse assist effectively and at low price. We’re targeted on continued enhancements to maintain up with the tempo of ambition for biodiversity motion, whereas maintaining the required safeguards to make sure high quality and belief for long-term, lasting outcomes for nature.”
The funding introduced in Cali included the primary financing to the GBFF from a sub-national authorities.
“The Authorities of Québec is proud to be the primary subnational authorities to contribute to the International Biodiversity Framework Fund. If we wish to make sure the profitable implementation of the Kunming-Montréal International Biodiversity Framework, and ensure to depart nobody behind, we have to absolutely endorse a complete of society and complete of presidency method,” mentioned Martine Biron, Minister of Worldwide Relations and la Francophonie, Authorities of Québec. “Québec is a longstanding contributor in local weather cooperation, and we hope that this primary substantial monetary pledge in biodiversity will encourage different stakeholders to assist everybody, particularly essentially the most weak international locations, to achieve our frequent purpose to stay in concord with nature.”
In June 2024, the GBFF Council accredited the fund’s first work program, with 4 tasks in Brazil, Gabon, and Mexico, and one other 18 mission preparation grants accredited. In complete, 24 growing international locations, together with 13 Least Developed Nations and Small Island Creating States, are presently accessing assist from the fund.
GBFF assist helps international locations strengthen national-level biodiversity administration, coverage, governance, and useful resource mobilization, together with blended finance to leverage non-public sector financing. The fund has a goal of getting 20 p.c of its funding assist led by Indigenous Peoples and native communities.
