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UN COP16 nature talks unlikely to reach offer on conservation financing

Nations are unlikely to reach a major new funding agreement for nature preservation throughout this week's United Nations COP16 biodiversity top, with delegates talking on Wednesday about pushing their settlements beyond the top's end.

The financing conversation follows on a promise made by wealthy countries 2 years ago to ensure $20 billion in yearly preservation financing for establishing countries by 2025, with that increasing to $30 billion annually by 2030.

These quantities represent a modest increase from the $15.4. billion that was put toward conservation funding in 2022,. according to data from the Company for Economic. Co-operation and Development.

Countries at COP15 in 2022 consented to create the Global. Biodiversity Structure Fund to assist catalyze funding to reach. nature objectives, but the fund so far has actually raised just about $400. million.

This year's summit had intended to ramp up sources of. conservation financing, however reached an impasse over whether to. develop yet another fund for nature.

It's apparent that the conversations here will not be a complete. conclusion, stated representative David Ainsworth of the U.N. Convention on Biological Variety secretariat, which arranges. the talks.

Delegates currently have discussed what is going to be the. way forward in the intersessional period, he said

Stopping working to reach a new funding offer would likely slow. efforts to pay for preservation, amid the fast decrease of. nature from environment damage, contamination and environment modification.

TO PRODUCE A BRAND-NEW FUND OR NOT

Brazil and other developing nations stated they desired more. oversight on nature funding, stating the existing Structure. Fund was controlled by rich countries. They also said they fretted. the cash would be paid out too slowly.

Biodiversity finance need to be streaming to where. biodiversity is, Brazil's primary negotiator Andre Correa do Lago. said recently, in calling for the development of the new fund.

The voice of countries bearing a greater problem should. count more than it does, Correa do Lago said.

Rich countries have pushed back against that concept.

It's insufficient to constantly talk about a fund, a new fund,. Florika Fink-Hooijer, the head of the European Union's. Directorate-General for the Environment, stated on Monday.

We have the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund ... so I. don't think we ought to distract ourselves of going, 'Oh, now we. require a various fund.'

Nations are now assessing alternatives to continue conversations. post-COP16, including whether to develop a brand-new group to work out. the problems or to hold conversations through an existing U.N. body,. Ainsworth said.

I do not know if we would call it a failure. It would be. frustrating that we don't have a clear contract out of this. POLICE, said Marcos Neto, international director of policy for the U.N. Advancement Program.

He stated that countries are revamping the way they approach. financing for the environment to combine public, personal. and multilateral sources which takes time.

I do think it's an innovation. In some cases it takes longer. for us to find out how to put all these pieces together, Neto. said.

Nations would require to find out how a brand-new fund would fit. in with existing ones in addition to how it would be utilized not simply. to funnel public money however to incentivize private investment in. activities that benefit nature.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated he remained. enthusiastic for a strong COP16 arrangement.

There was a substantial will to find a successful result and a. substantial will of compromise in the pending problems, Guterres informed a. news briefing. So I'm rather optimistic that it will be possible. to reach a consensus..

(source: Reuters)