October 15, 2026
ARLINGTON, Va. (Oct. 15 , 2026) – “Four years ago, nearly every country on Earth signed the most ambitious plan ever to reverse nature loss: conserve 30 percent of all lands and seas by 2030.
“The deadline is looming. The road from COP17 will be a sprint for countries to turn ambition into action — a mad dash to make good on a bold promise to conserve nearly a third of the planet. COP17 offers us the opportunity to accelerate what works and put us back on track.
“Funding is the number one barrier to delivering this framework. Every year, we fall at least $700 billion short in funding for biodiversity and nature. All players must contribute — countries, businesses and people who have the resources to help must step up. We call on countries to contribute to global funds to ensure funding flows where it is needed most.
“Subsidy reform, in particular, can make a real dent — and fast. Governments around the world subsidize agriculture, energy, and fishing, often to protect food security, jobs, and incomes. But too often end up funding things like deforestation and overfishing. Reforming and redirecting those subsidies could cover as much as half of the nature funding shortfall.
“At COP17, governments must agree to look hard at whether the trillions they already spend each year are working against their own biodiversity goals and redesign those incentives to deliver better outcomes for people and nature. Our initiative, Accelerating Rapid Transition of Subsidies and Incentives (ARTSI), is demonstrating already how subsidy reform can help bridge the nature funding gap while delivering the intended social benefits governments want to provide.
“None of this can be accomplished without Indigenous Peoples and local communities. They steward more than a third of the world's most important places for climate and biodiversity. For centuries, they have made caring for their land an integral part of their existence yet their knowledge is too often undervalued and they don't receive nearly enough funding. Governments can help fix that, and they can start now. Support Indigenous representation and leadership in decision making at the global and national level and reward their economies built on standing forests and thriving coasts.
“We have the potential to tackle the biodiversity and climate crises together. Yet, we have not yet rallied the political will to move forward at the scale needed. National biodiversity and climate plans must reinforce each other, and they must be well funded. Working in silos means duplicated effort, wasted public resources and conflicting signals to businesses and investors.
“We’re in the final stretch now — a relay race to 2030 with Yerevan as the handoff. There's no going back for a dropped baton. This last sprint must deliver. Let’s make this moment count.”
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About Conservation International: Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous Peoples and local communities to help people and nature thrive together.