A draft United Nations report on progress toward global biodiversity goals has concluded that nations are significantly underperforming on nearly all commitments made under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The assessment, published in late July ahead of preparatory talks, evaluates how countries are advancing toward 23 targets set for 2030, with only one target receiving an overall positive assessment.
The report drew from national submissions by countries, though participation in the reporting process varied. Approximately 45 percent of nations submitted updated biodiversity strategies and action plans as requested, while 83 percent provided at least one national target and 66 percent produced new national progress reports. The document underwent international peer review before this second draft was released, with a final version to be published ahead of the COP17 summit scheduled for October.
Across multiple conservation areas, the findings reveal persistent implementation gaps. On the widely championed “30 by 30” commitment to protect 30 percent of land and sea by the decade’s end, countries are making progress on protected area expansion but remain far short of full achievement. Ecosystem restoration efforts are also expanding but at levels below what is required. A shortage of financial resources and technical capacity emerged as a recurring barrier, particularly affecting developing nations attempting to implement restoration programs and other conservation measures.
The report identified substantial shortfalls in biodiversity financing, with nations reporting raising approximately $186 billion cumulatively over four years when $200 billion annually is needed. International public funding for biodiversity averaged roughly $4.4 billion per year between 2020 and 2023, falling well short of the $20 billion annual target set for 2025. Progress on reducing harmful government subsidies and incentives also lagged significantly, with available data showing only $67 billion annually in identified harmful subsidies—well below estimated trillions spent globally.
Target 8, addressing climate change’s impact on biodiversity through mitigation and adaptation measures, was the sole target to achieve a positive overall assessment. The report noted that while countries have taken some action on all targets, significant challenges persist in areas such as pollution reduction, invasive species management, and benefit-sharing from genetic resources derived from biodiversity-rich regions.
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