With fresh pledges from eight governments, the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund now boasts support from 12 countries, including Luxembourg, which ranks among its largest per capita donors.

Twelve countries now support the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), a key fund aimed at protecting global biodiversity, with Luxembourg standing among its largest per capita donors.
 
Eight governments recently pledged additional funds, bringing the GBFF's total endowment to approximately $400 million, in a move intended to advance discussions on biodiversity at COP16 in Cali.
 
Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the Canadian province of Quebec collectively committed $163 million to the GBFF, according to a press release.
 
The Global Environment Facility (GEF), which oversees the GBFF, announced that the fund now has 12 contributors, including Canada, Japan, Luxembourg, and Spain. Luxembourg, one of the top per capita donors, pledged €7 million in spring 2024. "Together, we are creating a positive dynamic and demonstrating our commitment to a sustainable future," said Luxembourg's Minister of the Environment Serge Wilmes.

Established in 2022

Launched in 2022, the GBFF was established to support developing countries in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Accord, which outlines 23 targets to preserve biodiversity from human impact by 2030.
 
Under the accord, countries committed to mobilising at least $200 billion annually for biodiversity through 2030, with $20 billion per year coming from wealthy nations by 2025. As of 2022, funding had reached $15.4 billion, according to OECD data, with France estimating its contribution at €1.3 billion.
 
While the GBFF represents only part of this financial commitment, it plays a crucial political role in COP biodiversity negotiations and serves as a key indicator of global support for biodiversity conservation.
 
Developing countries are calling for a new fund that operates independently of the GEF and is governed by the United Nations, which they believe would better represent their interests. Developed countries, however, have resisted this proposal, arguing that establishing a new fund would take years and add unnecessary complexity and expenses given the recent surge in funds.
 
The GBFF is certainly a "temporary" solution and needs to be improved, but it has the merit of being "operational", the Colombian president of COP16, Susana Muhamad, told AFP on Monday.
 
She noted that the fund requires "more financing" and emphasised that it would be beneficial for developed nations to reassure others that funding targets will be met.
 
"The core issue is less about the fund itself than about the amount and quality of resources it receives," observed Nina Mikander from the NGO Bird Life, who is monitoring the negotiations.
 
French Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher, attending COP16 in Cali, highlighted the GBFF's effectiveness, noting, "The fund was established two years ago, and within 18 months, it began disbursing funds – a record pace." She added that nearly 40% of GBFF financing is allocated to the most vulnerable countries, a focus she considers "an important consideration for the next GEF replenishment conference" scheduled for 2025.