FfB Foundation Welcomes Landmark Outcomes of Resumed Biodiversity COP16 in Rome
Rome, February 28, 2025 – The Finance for Biodiversity (FfB) Foundation welcomes the transformative decisions made during the resumed session of the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held in Rome from February 25-27, 2025. These outcomes mark a significant step towards ensuring the successful implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and addressing the global biodiversity finance gap.
A Breakthrough in Biodiversity Finance: Adoption of the Resource Mobilisation Strategy
A historic agreement was reached in the early hours of this morning on the Resource Mobilisation Strategy, which is critical to securing the financial means necessary to achieve the GBF’s ambitious biodiversity goals. The strategy sets a clear direction with concrete actions for aligning financial flows towards a nature-positive economy and addressing the estimated $700 billion annual biodiversity funding gap by 2030.
The FfB Foundation was part of the UN CBD Resource Mobilisation Advisory Committee from 2023 until 2024, and contributed a private finance perspective at COP15 and COP16. The adopted Resource Mobilisation Strategy includes our key recommendations for governments to enhance private biodiversity finance through policy and regulatory measures, including nature-related disclosures, action from central banks, reform of economic incentives, and promotion of blended finance.
The strategy includes the launch of a roadmap to establish a permanent financial mechanism under the authority and accountability of the CBD. This long-awaited decision operationalises Article 21 of the CBD, ensuring predictable and accessible biodiversity financing for Parties.
“The adoption of the Resource Mobilisation Strategy is a vital step forwards for global biodiversity finance” said Sonya Likhtman, Associate Director of Engagement at Federated Hermes Limited and Co-chair of the FfB Public Policy Advocacy Working Group. “Focusing on mainstreaming biodiversity in decision-making, developing sectoral transformation pathways, and redirecting harmful subsidies will support financial institutions in managing nature-related risks and opportunities, and enable the overall alignment of financial flows with biodiversity goals.”
Ensuring Accountability: Finalisation of the Monitoring Framework
Governments at COP 16.2 also agreed on the indicators within the Monitoring Framework, a critical tool for ensuring accountability in implementing the GBF. Key indicators that support the alignment of financial flows include those about nature-related disclosures (Target 15) and both harmful and positive incentives (Target 18). The private finance sector will play a key role in bridging the biodiversity finance gap. Its contributions will be monitored through indicator D3, which will track private financial flows that support the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystems.
“We are pleased that an agreement has been reached at the resumed session of COP16 and that the Resource Mobilisation Strategy has finally been adopted. The finalisation of the Monitoring Framework ensures much-needed transparency and accountability,” said Anita de Horde, Executive Director of the FfB Foundation. “As we approach COP17 in 2026, governments must demonstrate concrete progress in aligning financial flows with biodiversity goals, setting the foundation for ambitious implementation.”
Launch of the Cali Fund: A New Era in Benefit-Sharing for Biodiversity
One of the most innovative outcomes of COP16.2 was the launch of the Cali Fund, a global financing mechanism designed to share benefits derived from Digital Sequence Information (DSI) on genetic resources. Industries such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and cosmetics that rely on DSI will contribute a portion of their profits, directing funds towards biodiversity protection by Indigenous communities and developing countries.
The Cali Fund represents a major step in ensuring equitable benefit-sharing, supporting biodiversity conservation efforts, and recognising the vital role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in safeguarding ecosystems.
Finance for Biodiversity Foundation’s Role Moving Forward
The outcomes of COP16.2 will contribute to shaping the FfB Foundation’s policy advocacy and Finance for Nature Positive programmes. Moving forward, the Foundation will continue to engage with policymakers, financial institutions, and companies to drive the alignment of financial flows with biodiversity targets and enhance accountability measures.
Following this important milestone, it is now imperative that all stakeholders – from governments to financial institutions and businesses – turn commitments into concrete actions. The Finance for Biodiversity Foundation remains committed to supporting the implementation of the GBF and contributing to the goal of halting and reversing biodiversity loss in this decade.