Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Developing nations demand more money at crunch UN biodiversity talks

Developing nations demand more money at crunch UN biodiversity talks

The thorny issue of how much money wealthy countries are willing to pony up to protect the world’s remaining biodiversity took center stage Wednesday at UN talks in Montreal aimed at creating a “peace pact with nature.”
At stake is the future of the planet and whether humanity can roll back habitat destruction, pollution, and the climate crisis that are driving the sixth mass extinction of plant and animal species.

Negotiators worked late into the night Tuesday, but “the atmosphere deteriorated when the group started discussing concepts, in particular the global biodiversity fund (GBF) proposal,” said UN spokesman David Ainsworth, leading to a walkout by developing nations.

The GBF is a new financial instrument sought by low-income nations to help them, for example, establish marine or terrestrial protected areas and implement biodiversity action plans.

A long pause in technical talks on other items appeared to be resolved after China, the chair, held an hours-long meeting of the heads of delegations Wednesday, though the finance issue isn’t yet settled.

“Our territories are home to most of the biological diversity of the world,” said a statement by Brazil, which added existing financing mechanisms were not up to the task.

Brazil, which also spoke on behalf of other developing countries, including the African Group, added that the new fund should provide $100 billion annually, or one percent of global GDP, until 2030.

Financial flows from the Global North to South are currently estimated at around $10 billion annually.

Wealthy nations say they would rather reform existing financial mechanisms and leverage more private sector funding.

The deterioration in dialogue came on the eve of the high-level phase of negotiations involving the environment ministers of the 196 members at the Montreal summit, called COP15, which began on December 7 and is set to run to December 19.

“The walkout that happened last night is a signal of a pivotal moment in the negotiations that we needed,” Masha Kalinina of The Pew Charitable Trusts told AFP.

“It draws important attention to this negotiation, especially as the leaders are arriving today and tomorrow we are waiting with bated breath.”

Innocent Maloba of WWF International added: “As the countries with the greatest roles in driving biodiversity loss... developed countries have a duty to support developing countries in the protection and conservation of the biodiversity that we all rely on.

“It is in their own self-interest.”

There are more than 20 targets, including a cornerstone pledge to protect 30 percent of the world’s land and seas by 2030, eliminating harmful fishing and agriculture subsidies, and tackling invasive species and reducing pesticides.

Science shows that time is running out.

An estimated million species are threatened with extinction, a third of the world’s landmass is degraded, comprising the productivity of soil, while pollution and the climate crisis are destroying marine ecosystems.

But the summit has failed to garner the same level attention as a UN climate summit held in Egypt in November, which brought together more than a hundred world leaders.

The meeting is being held in Canada but chaired by China, which declined to host because of its strict Covid rules.

The only world leader in attendance is Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Speaking at a press conference organized by the nonprofit Avaaz, Hollywood actor and activist James Cromwell singled out French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron in particular, for opting to visit Qatar to watch the soccer World Cup semi final instead of coming to the COP.

“It’s tragic that it takes an actor to come up here to talk about issues,” he said. “Have you no shame?”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×