In 2023, financial flows that harmed nature reached US$7.3 trillion, while only US$220 billion in public and private funding were directed at conserving and sustainably using biodiversity. These figures come from a three‑year study by the Intergovernmental Science‑Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which was prepared by 79 leading experts from 35 nations and presented on Monday at IPBES’s annual plenary meeting.
IPBES is a multilateral body that advises governments on biodiversity, similar to the IPCC’s role on climate. The experts found that two‑thirds of the environmentally destructive flows-US$4.9 trillion-originated in the private sector, while the remaining one‑third-about US$2.4 trillion-arose from harmful subsidies.
A core message of the report is that all companies depend on and influence biodiversity. Current business conditions, however, are not always compatible with a just and sustainable future, and they contribute to systemic risks, the scientists said. By collaborating and taking collective and individual actions, companies could help create a favourable environment that supports a fair, eco‑friendly future.
Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) welcomed the report as a key stimulus. “Companies have many opportunities to contribute to the preservation of nature, and it is important that they do so” he said. “It is also in their long‑term interest, because nature underpins all economic activity. Politics can set the right conditions and incentives so that successful business, a healthy environment, and social justice go hand in hand”.
Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär (CSU) added that protecting biodiversity is a central future challenge that can only be met together with a strong economy. “Intact ecosystems are vital for prosperity, stable supply chains, and long‑term competitiveness in Germany” she said. “The IPBES report demonstrates the pivotal role of research and modern technology in advancing innovative approaches to safeguard nature and species diversity”.
According to IPBES, up to one million species are currently threatened with extinction. Species loss now runs at least ten to a hundred times higher than the average rate over the past ten million years. Biodiversity and ecosystem services-providing food, clean water, and medicine-are essential for human survival, and human activities are identified by IPBES as the main driver of biodiversity loss.