Few countries pay "their fair share" of nature conservation

One of the major questions at the UN meeting on biological diversity is how the money that is supposed to save the environment will be collected. A report shows that only three countries have paid their fair share. If the goals are not met, it simply means that we will see a decline, says the report's author Laetitia Pettinotti.

» Published: October 29 2024

Sweden, Germany, and Norway are the only three countries that already in 2022 reach "their fair share" of a common goal to collect 20 billion dollars annually from 2025 to protect nature, according to the think tank ODI's compilation.

The goal is one of the 23 adopted at the 2022 UN meeting in Montréal by countries from all corners of the world.

The money is used by developing countries to, for example, protect forests, create rainforest corridors, or improve wastewater treatment.

"Completely encouraging"

The figures in the compilation are based on what donor countries report to the OECD and concern the year 2022.

It is completely encouraging that Sweden is already paying its fair share. But when there is no commitment to continue, it's only about a single year, emphasizes Laetitia Pettinotti at ODI.

Has consequences

Among the richer countries that, according to ODI, have not paid enough, Japan, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, and Canada are pointed out, as they do not reach even half of what they should pay. Slovakia, Poland, Greece, and the Czech Republic are at the bottom.

If some countries that absolutely need to increase do so, and other countries continue to give, it's possible to reach the goal in 2025, she says.

And otherwise?

Then we will see a decline in biodiversity, more ecosystems will be destroyed, and more species will be lost, she says.

Gustav Sjöholm/TT

Facts: How much is a fair share?

ODI uses a model to calculate how much the rich countries should pay based on gross national income (GNI), the number of inhabitants in 2022, and the ecological footprint since 1961.

Based on these measures, the goal from the Kunming-Montréal agreement to pay in at least 20 billion annually from 2025 for financing biodiversity is distributed.

Sweden paid in 500 million in 2022 (latest available data from the OECD), significantly more than Sweden's "fair share" according to ODI of 340 million dollars.

Germany paid in the most, 2.92 billion, which corresponds to 114 percent of its "fair share".

In total, 10.95 billion dollars were received, approximately 55 percent of the 2025 goal.

Source: ODI