According to a new report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the funds allocated for activities harmful to nature exceed spending on its protection by 30 times. The report is based on data from 2023.
It states that the total volume of financial inflows related to destructive activities amounts to $7.3 trillion. Of this amount, $4.9 trillion comes from private investments, primarily in sectors such as utilities, industry, energy, and raw material extraction.
Government subsidies, which amount to another $2.4 trillion, are directed towards fossil fuel extraction, construction, non-ecological types of transport, as well as agricultural and water use methods that harm the ecology.
In 2023, investments in solutions aimed at protecting nature totaled only $220 billion, of which nearly 90% came from public sources.
UNEP emphasizes the need to increase these investments by at least 2.5 times — to $571 billion per year. This amount is only 0.5% of the global GDP.
The report also notes that redirecting private and public finances is a key tool for transitioning to sustainable development. The authors presented a concept that will help policymakers and businesses implement phased reforms and increase the number of environmentally friendly solutions across all sectors of the economy.
The proposed concept aims for a gradual phase-out of destructive subsidies and investments while simultaneously increasing funding that supports nature conservation. It offers specific steps for public and private companies in various segments of supply chains.
