Our planet is filled with diverse life forms that shape the foundation of healthy ecosystems. But today, over 1 million species are threatened with extinction.

These fragile ecosystems provide essential resources - food, medicine, clean water, and economic opportunities - that support the livelihoods of more than 1.6 billion people. Protecting nature isn’t just about conserving wildlife; it’s about ensuring stable economies, improved public health, and a sustainable future for all.

More than half of the world’s economy, about $58 trillion in GDP, moderately or highly depends on healthy ecosystems. Yet, the money currently flowing into protecting biodiversity is far too low - only around $143 billion is invested each year, compared with an estimated need of $824 billion to reverse nature loss. This huge funding gap puts industries like agriculture, forestry, and fisheries at risk and could hurt our economic stability.

Our survival is deeply connected to wildlife—just as their future depends on us. This was the central theme of World Wildlife Day 2025, held on March 3rd, where leaders, experts, and organizations from around the world came together to explore new ways to fund biodiversity protection.

To close the massive funding gap for biodiversity, new financial tools are emerging:

‍Debt-for-Nature swaps involve forgiving a portion of a country’s debt in exchange for local investments in conservation, effectively turning debt into funding for nature protection.

‍Wildlife Conservation Bonds function like green bonds, where investors provide capital that’s repaid based on the success of conservation projects.

‍Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) create a market for nature’s benefits, rewarding landowners and communities for preserving vital ecosystems that provide clean water, carbon storage, and other services.

Together, these innovative approaches aim to turn environmental risks into opportunities for sustainable investment.