Financial Resources and Mechanism

Catalogue of funding sources

Download the PDF version of the Catalogue          

Financial resources are the fuel for the international biodiversity machinery.  The pace and extent of the effective implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity are clearly correlated with the availability and utilization of financial resources.  The geographical location of biodiversity does not necessarily match that of financial resources.  To achieve the 2010 Biodiversity Target entails a substantial relocation of international resources to where critical biodiversity efforts need to be undertaken.  At the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, the leaders of the world agreed that “a more efficient and coherent implementation of the three objectives of the Convention and the achievement by 2010 of a significant reduction in the current rate of loss of biological diversity will require the provision of new and additional financial and technical resources to developing countries”.

I take it imperative that sources of funding for biodiversity should be catalogued in order to facilitate easier access to relevant funding information for those who are undertaking genuine action to combat biodiversity loss on the ground and to promote improved coordination and coordination between various funding mechanisms and processes.  This catalogue is an example of the type of essential services that the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity can offer in the enhanced implementation phase of the Convention.

Information tools, such as this catalogue are useful when they are used wisely.  The Catalogue of Funding Sources should be used as an entry point for the exciting journey of financial and technical cooperation in support of accomplishing the challenging international biodiversity agenda.  The dynamic nature of international resource flow requires constant and often iterative interactions between funding seekers and funding providers at the project level as well as at times at the policy level. 

I trust that this volume of the Catalogue of Funding Sources will help identify potential funding opportunities for biodiversity activities, and contribute to improved coordination and communication between funding partners. The Secretariat intends to keep updating this catalogue on a regular basis.

Ahmed Djoghlaf          
Executive Secretary          

Catalogue of Funding Sources

The Catalogue of Funding Sources is a worldwide compendium of financial institutions, agencies, services and other entities that provide international assistance to biodiversity undertakings in particular in the developing countries and the countries with economies in transition.  It contains financial and related assistance programs identified by Governments in their national reports and is also based on additional research conducted by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Governments under the Convention have expressed a keen interest in obtaining information on where and how to access financial resources in support of the objectives of the Convention.  In 1994, decision I/2 requested the Secretariat to prepare a study on the availability of additional financial resources.  Subsequent meetings of the Conference of the Parties requested further exploration of possibilities to identify additional financial resources to support the objectives of the Convention.  In 2002, decision VI/16 highlighted the need for centralizing information on biodiversity related activities of funding institutions and other donors and to promote coordination, coherence, and synergies in financing for biological diversity among donor Parties and Governments, bilateral, regional and multilateral funding institutions and development agencies.

As the basic reference source of relevant international funding programs, the primary purpose of the Catalogue is to assist users in identifying potential funding opportunities for their biodiversity undertakings, and to obtain general information on international assistance programs.  In addition, the Catalogue is also intended to improve coordination and communication between various funding institutions, mechanisms and processes.

The Catalogue provides the user with access to relevant international programs in a single publication.  It contains information, as far as available, on the organization administering an assistance program, objectives and goals of the organization and the program, their operational and financial aspects, management, useful publications and contact details.

Programs selected for inclusion in the biodiversity assistance data base are defined as any function of an organization that provides financial and related assistance to biodiversity activities in a country that is not of its origin.  Such an organization may be an established multilateral, regional or bilateral institutions or agencies, intergovernmental or non-governmental international organizations, foundations or corporations.  Assistance includes, but is not limited to grants, loans, scholarships, technical assistance and other expert services.  A single criterion used to distinguish various programs is based on a unique website address that can facilitate further research on funding opportunities.

Consistent with the Executive Secretary’s paper reduction initiatives and the Secretariat’s  move to a paper free environment, the Catalogue will be disseminated electronically through the finance website on the Internet at http://www.cbd.int/financial/default.shtml.  The finance website will contain a PDF file version of the Catalogue that can be printed by any user.  Only under exceptional circumstances where electronic access does not prove to be possible and upon request, the Secretariat of the Convention will make available a print-out of the Catalogue.