Joint Statement: Investing in nature and people is key to delivering the Global Biodiversity Framework, Paris Agreement and SDGs
WCS EU, together with 20 organisations, calls for the EU to prioritise biodiversity conservation in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028-2034) for international cooperation.
Global biodiversity conservation risks being deprioritised in EU external programmes. With Commissioners' hearings and budget negotiations imminent, the coming months will be crucial to ensure that biodiversity conservation and restoration, alongside healthy and resilient nature, remain key priorities in the EU’s international cooperation efforts, investments, and global partnerships. Biodiversity loss, particularly in vulnerable regions, fuels conflict, displacement, and migration pressures, undermining stability.
WCS EU and 20 organisations—including environmental NGOs, conservation groups, youth associations, research institutes, and foundations—are urging the EU to increase its ambition by committing a larger proportion of its future budget for international cooperation to these urgent priorities, specifically through:
- Establishing a legally binding 15% biodiversity spending target in the international cooperation budget.
- Mainstreaming biodiversity across sectors such as agriculture, climate, and infrastructure development within international cooperation.
- Safeguarding centrally managed thematic programs in the next NDICI instrument to ensure dedicated funding for biodiversity and natural resource management.
- Scaling up investments in nature and biodiversity under the Global Gateway initiative and developing financially viable conservation and restoration initiatives that engage businesses.
- Strengthening environmental safeguards for international cooperation, including adherence to the ‘do no significant harm’ (DNSH) principle and comprehensive environmental impact assessments.
- Expanding support for Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and civil society organisations to improve biodiversity funding absorption, enhance impact, and ensure long-term sustainability.
Read the full joint statement.
