In 2023, financial flows totalling US $7.3 trillion had a negative impact on nature, while only US $220 billion in public and private funds were directed toward the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. These figures come from a three‑year study carried out by 79 leading experts from 35 countries. The report, prepared by the Intergovernmental Science‑Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), was presented on Monday at the annual IPBES plenary session.
IPBES is an intergovernmental body that advises on biodiversity policy, similar in stature to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). According to the experts, two‑thirds of the nature‑destroying financial flows-US $4.9 trillion-originated in the private sector, while the remaining third-around US $2.4 trillion-came from environmentally harmful subsidies.
A central message of the report is that all companies rely on and influence biodiversity. The current business environment, however, is not always compatible with the goal of a fair and sustainable future, and it can amplify systemic risks. The scientists argue that through collaboration, and by adopting collective and individual actions, a supportive environment can be created in which companies help achieve a just and sustainable future.
German Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) called the study an important impulse. “Companies have many opportunities to contribute to the protection of our nature, and it is vital that they take advantage of them” he said. “It is also in their own long‑term interest, because nature is the foundation of every economy. The government can set the right conditions and incentives so that successful business, a healthy environment, and social justice go hand in hand”.
Minister of Research Dorothee Bär (CSU) added that biodiversity protection is a key challenge that can only be met in partnership with a strong economy. “Intact ecosystems are essential for prosperity, stable supply chains, and long‑term competitiveness in Germany” she explained. “The IPBES report highlights the important role that research and modern technologies play in advancing innovative approaches to protecting nature and species diversity”.
According to IPBES, up to one million species are currently threatened with extinction. Rates of species loss today are now at least ten to one hundred times higher than the average over the last ten million years. Biodiversity, and the services that ecosystems provide-such as food, clean water, and medicine-are essential for human survival. Human activities are identified by the IPBES as the primary driver of biodiversity loss.
