Organisations from the finance sector, including UNEP FI members, are among the first to join a global Call to Action on High-Integrity Nature Markets, urging governments to establish the policy and regulatory conditions needed to mobilize private investment in biodiversity protection and restoration.

They are among more than 70 organisations from across the world backing the call, spanning the financial sector, businesses, conservation organisations, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and nature project developers. Signatories were announced by Jessica Smith, Head of Nature at UNEP FI, at the opening of Finance and Biodiversity Day, convened by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at COP17 in Yerevan.

“The breadth of organisations behind this call shows there is real demand for governments to set the rules that would let high-integrity markets grow,” said Jessica Smith, Head of Nature at UNEP FI.

Unlocking private finance for nature

Biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation pose systemic risks to economies, financial stability and human wellbeing, with continued decline potentially costing the global economy up to US $430 billion annually.

High-integrity nature markets can help reverse this decline by directing private finance towards measurable conservation and restoration outcomes, while ensuring businesses take financial responsibility for their impacts on nature.

The Call to Action asks governments to establish clear regulatory frameworks, ensure robust measurement and verification, and safeguard benefits for Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

The Call comes amid wider efforts to strengthen market integrity. On 25 October, the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits (IAPB) launched its first three nature credit market standards for consultation.

Building momentum towards COP31

The call remains open until 9 November, building momentum towards UNFCCC COP31 in Türkiye where the full list of signatories will be shared. UNEP FI members can still sign the Call to Action or contact the UNEP FI Nature team with questions.

Read the Call to Action and sign it here.

The Call was developed by the Green Finance Institute, the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits (IAPB), International Environmental Guardianship, the International Institute for Environment and Development, the Biodiversity Credit Alliance and UNEP FI.

The full list of signatories can be found on the website of the Green Finance Institute here.

Further reading