Nations Struggle to Meet Biodiversity Commitments at Upcoming U.N. Summit

Nations are bracing for a disappointing report card at this month's U.N. biodiversity summit in Yerevan, Armenia, as governments struggle to meet their commitments to protect the planet's vital ecosystems.

The Paris Agreement for Nature, signed by nearly 200 countries in 2022, set ambitious targets for halting and reversing nature loss by 2030, including reducing pollution, conserving threatened species, and protecting 30% of global land and oceans.

However, a draft review by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) suggests that the world is falling short of these objectives, raising concerns about the future of the planet's biodiversity.

The CBD oversees international negotiations on protecting the natural world, and its review highlights the need for governments to take concrete actions to meet their commitments.

"COP17 comes at a critical moment," said An Lambrechts from Greenpeace International, emphasizing that the summit must result in a clear course correction to avoid further environmental degradation.

Governments are being urged to move beyond mere promises and agree on tangible steps to address nature loss, as Astrid Schomaker, executive director of the U.N. biodiversity convention, noted that progress is being made but significant change is required to meet the 2030 goals.

Governments are being urged to make significant changes in their policies to meet the ambitious targets set by the biodiversity convention. A key area where progress is needed is reducing incentives for industries such as agriculture and fossil fuel production, which have seen little improvement so far.

The pace of change has been deemed too slow by some experts, who warn that more drastic measures are required if the 2030 goals are to be achieved. While there is recognition that progress is being made in certain areas, many countries still have a long way to go before meeting their commitments.

Leaders from around the world will gather in Yerevan next week for a summit where they will be expected to set an ambitious tone for the upcoming negotiations. Around 10 heads of state are scheduled to attend and will likely use the opportunity to urge negotiators to push for more significant progress when talks begin on October 19.

A comprehensive review of global efforts is underway, drawing on national reports and other inputs to assess collective improvements and pitfalls. This "global review aims to provide a clear picture of where nations stand in terms of meeting their biodiversity commitments.

Nations are struggling to meet their pledge of raising $200 billion annually by 2030 for biodiversity conservation, a significant portion of which is intended for developing countries.

The shortfall has put pressure on wealthy countries to step up and fill the gap, but they face their own financial constraints, making the situation increasingly complex and contentious.

As talks continue in Yerevan, attention will focus on finding ways for the private sector to contribute more significantly to addressing the biodiversity crisis, particularly through corporate funding initiatives.

The performance of the Cali Fund, a key U.N. program launched in February 2025 with a goal of securing $1 billion annually from corporations for conservation efforts in developing countries, is under scrutiny due to its lackluster results so far.

The fund has managed to attract only $6,000 in contributions despite initial hopes that it would be a game-changer in addressing the biodiversity crisis.

The push for world leaders to course correct" on biodiversity goals has highlighted a significant challenge: the persistence of subsidies that harm the environment.

Despite efforts to reform incentives, progress toward reducing nature-harmful subsidies by $500 billion annually by 2030 remains sluggish. Instead, U.N. figures indicate that for every dollar invested in conservation, about $30 is still spent on activities that degrade ecosystems.

Over 130 businesses and financial institutions have joined forces with governments to call for reform, citing $2.6 trillion in annual public spending that rewards practices depleting natural resources. This includes companies like Nestle and H&M Group, which have highlighted the need to shift incentives away from environmentally damaging activities.

To address this issue, WWF International's Guido Broekhoven has emphasized the importance of repurposing subsidies as a top priority at COP17, while Greenpeace's Lambrechts has stressed the need for unity among world leaders in fighting for the survival of life on Earth.