World Wildlife Day-- 3 March 2025
Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet
Today is World Wildlife Day, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora --CITES.
On behalf of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, happy 50th anniversary to our colleagues at the CITES Secretariat.
This year’s World Wildlife Day focuses on “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet”.
As we celebrate wildlife and the Multilateral Environmental Agreement dedicated to its protection, this is a moment to reflect on achievements, confront challenges, and chart a path toward a future where humanity lives in harmony with nature.
Wildlife is part of biodiversity: the lifeblood of the planet we call home.
From food and medicine to livelihoods and cultural heritage, wildlife makes multiple contributions to human wellbeing and many Sustainable Development Goals depend on its conservation.
It is central to building a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future for all, everywhere.
But over a million species remain threatened by extinction. Wildlife is reeling under the impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, and pollution and waste.
The need for innovative and sustainable finance that can step up conservation has never been greater.
To take a broader angle, resource mobilization is crucial to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework—the KMGBF: the world’s masterplan to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.
Innovative solutions such as Wildlife Conservation Bonds, Debt-for-Nature Swaps, and Payments for Ecosystem Services are opening new avenues for conservation and biodiversity finance.
These mechanisms must continue to ensure that the resources they mobilize benefit both nature and people, including indigenous peoples and local communities.
Collaboration among governments, financial institutions, businesses, civil society, and local communities is crucial to unlocking funding from all sources: public, private, philanthropic, bilateral and multilateral.
World Wildlife Day reminds us that investing in nature is an investment in people, prosperity, and peace.
Working together with our CITES colleagues, we will continue to support Parties in our common endeavour for nature and for people.
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