In a new blog post, Ceres assessed financing discussions at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Yerevan, Armenia, concluding that negotiations delivered limited pathways to fund global biodiversity goals despite growing private sector engagement. The Yerevan Pathway, designed to accelerate implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework through 2030, left many funding questions unresolved. Private investment remains constrained by limited suitable projects and gaps in integrating nature risks into business and investment decisions. The financial exposure is substantial. Ceres research estimates that degradation of critical ecosystem services could cost eight key sectors up to USD 430 billion annually, or USD 2.15 trillion over five years if unchecked. A new policy brief developed with other investor organizations identifies more than 680 institutional investors incorporating nature considerations into investment strategies and engaging portfolio companies. A new Nature Action 100 benchmark assessment also shows corporate progress across industries and geographies, alongside critical gaps requiring faster action. Attracting institutional capital requires projects with revenue certainty, strong governance and permanence. Landscape initiatives offer a potential route by pooling resources across companies, governments and communities, providing scale and sharing risks across sourcing regions. Comparable, consistent disclosures are another requirement for aligning private financial flows. During COP17, the International Sustainability Standards Board published a draft Practice Statement on nature-related disclosures drawing on existing voluntary frameworks. The nonmandatory statement reflects investor demand for better information on portfolio companies’ nature risks and performance.

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