The United Nations Development Programme has launched a new biodiversity finance resource database which aims to close the financing gap for biodiversity conservation by listing worldwide funding opportunities from public and private resources.

The ‘Finance Resource Database for Biodiversity (FIRE)’ collects and lists over 200 funding opportunities around the world, including options with a conservation objective, and those with other objectives which also can be used to finance biodiversity.

“FIRE functions as a one-stop-shop, where a project owner can find in one place a multitude of different opportunities matching specific criteria (country, range of funding, type of entity, etc.),” the project’s website states.

Listed funding types include grants, loans, equity, and guarantees, and start from under $5,000. Many are regional or ecosystem-specific initiatives.

The project has been developed under a partnership including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Cornell University, the Campaign for Nature, the Conservation Finance Alliance, and the governments of UK, France, Belgium, as well as the UNDP.

Following the agreement of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) at the end of last year, many have signalled the now-crucial role of mobilising private finance, as well as public funds, to tackling the nature crisis, with several of the 23 specific targets aimed at mobilising capital from banks and financial institutions.

With regards to the launch of FIRE, ESG consultant Fernando Aguilera described the database as a “golden opportunity” for those in developing economies who are looking for funding to protect local and regional biodiversity, he wrote on LinkedIn.

By Roy Manuell – roy@carbon-pulse.com

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