Published: Closing the Funding Gap: Biodiversity Finance Mechanisms
Julia Qian Mao, Ph.D at Lund University and engaged in the work package 3 - Mainstreaming Biodiversity through Governance Innovations in Mistra BIOPATH, has published a chapter of the book Biodiversity Finance: The Economic, Operational, and Societal Impacts of Biodiversity Loss (Palgrave Macmillan). Learn more about the contents and how it is may be useful for policy and decision-makers.
What is the purpose of this publication?
This book chapter aims to map, classify, and analyze biodiversity finance mechanisms that address the global biodiversity funding gap. Built on existing studies, it proposes a conceptual framework that categorizes mechanisms by funding source (public–private) and mode of generation (external–self-generated), offering a structured view of the evolving biodiversity finance landscape.
How does it contribute to halting and reversing biodiversity loss?
By clarifying the mechanisms that mobilize for biodiversity, the paper provides analytical foundations to map solutions that channels resources toward conservation and restoration, and support the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).
What can financial decision-makers learn from your findings?
Financial decision-makers can learn how different mechanisms interact across public and private sectors, and why “innovation” should include improving efficiency and coordination of existing mechanisms rather than only creating new ones. They can learn about the emerging trends of mechanisms.
How can the findings push the transition from knowledge to action?
The findings enhance conceptual clarity by translating the complex biodiversity finance landscape into a pragmatic typology, presented in a clear framework for policymakers and practitioners. It helps policy makers to understand the diversity of mechanisms for different situations.
What are the policy implications of the paper?
The chapter underscores that public policy remains central in enabling, regulating, and de-risking biodiversity finance. Policies must ensure that innovative financial mechanisms are context-appropriate, equitable, and aligned with public objectives, rather than driven solely by market trends. It also highlights cross-sectoral integration, linking biodiversity with climate and infrastructure finance, can multiply impacts.