Context

The world is entering a decisive phase for implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Although the urgency to halt biodiversity loss is widely acknowledged, the finance gap for nature remains and is particularly acute in developing countries. Without a significant scaling up of private resources, Target 19 will not be met.

Governments, financial institutions, civil society and companies can join forces around three key entry points for scaling up private action for nature: strengthening enabling environments, promoting private sector engagement and mobilising private finance, in support of approaches and instruments that are truly effective.

This is where new instruments come in. Blended finance structures, payments for ecosystem services, biodiversity and blue bonds, landscape finance and other innovative tools can unlock private finance and investment – but they depend on reliable data, coherent metrics and robust reporting frameworks to work and to earn trust.

Armenia, The Netherlands, Luxembourg and the OECD consider that there is a need to scale this agenda. This side event, and the accompanying reports (on mobilised private finance, good practices and biodiversity finance planning, OECD Scaling Up Private Action for Nature), explore how private finance can be mobilised with partnerships at the heart of these efforts. By sharing concrete cases and challenges, the session aims to move from high level commitments to scalable capital flows for nature.

Description

This session will offer insights and a stage to bring together businesses, financial institutions, governments, development co-operation and civil society to share practical approaches for, and successes in, scaling up biodiversity-positive investments like Nature-based-Solutions. Speakers will highlight innovative financial instruments, partnerships and policy incentives that can help moving to “business unusual” for biodiversity finance. The session will be highly interactive and offer a stage for 6 pitches from different participants: governments, international banks, local implementors, companies and others - to build the discussion around successful cases and those that are still running into barriers.

Preparation

For this side event two reports will be prepared:

1. Private finance for biodiversity
2. Nature-based-Solutions

Hosts / Partners

Armenia, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Dutch Entrepreneurial Bank (FMO), OECD, Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD)

Moderators

Ms. Caroline van Leenders & Mr. Paul van de Logt

Programme

Overall Focus

What is needed in policy, markets and disclosure to rapidly scale nature positive investments and deliver on GBF Target 19?

18:15–18:30 – Opening

• Kick-off by the moderators
• Welcome and framing of the ambition for private finance for nature
  • Speaker: Mr. Aram Meymaryan, Deputy Minister of Environment, Armenia

18:30–18:45 – Pitch Round I

Theme: Mobilising Private Finance for GBF Target 19(a)
Enabling environments, promoting private sector engagement and mobilising private finance for nature in developing countries

• 3 pitches × 3 minutes
• After each pitch: short “who wants to connect?” moment with the audience

Pitch contributors:

• FMO
• IDB Group, Gabriel Azevedo, chief of the IDB Amazon Coordination Unit
• IFAD

Goal: highlight innovative financial instruments and policy incentives that can help moving to “business unusual” for biodiversity finance.

18:45–19:00 – Strategic Panel

Session: Turning Ideas into Partnerships

Multistakeholder panel that will:

• Introduce themselves
• Set the scene with short introductory remarks
• React briefly to each round of pitches
• Draw key lessons and priorities at the end
• Suggest concrete partnerships and follow-up actions

Proposed panel members:

• Ms. Anita de Horde, Finance for Biodiversity Foundation
  • Focus: International Finance sector
• Mr. Serge Wilmes, Minister of Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, Luxembourg
  • Focus: Luxembourg country strategy
• Dr. Aliou Gori Diouf, Minister of Environment and Ecological Transition, Senegal
  • Focus: Senegal National Private Fund for Biodiversity Protection
• Ms. Dominique Blaquier, OECD Development Cooperation Directorate
  • Focus: Scaling Up Private Action for Nature

19:00–19:05 –Column

Session: Business Unusual for Biodiversity Finance

A sharp 3–5 minute intervention on what is possible and what is already happening.

• Speaker: Ms. Dominique Blaquier, OECD Development Cooperation Directorate

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19:05–19:25 – Pitch Round II

Theme: Mobilising Private Finance for Nature based Solutions
Financing NbS through the lens of ecosystem services

• 3 pitches × 3 minutes
• After each pitch: “who wants to connect?” moment

Pitch contributors:

• Vince van 't Hoff, Foundation for Sustainable Development
• NL2120 partner (tbd - Wetlands International, WWF, IUCN)
• Tbd

Goal: Showcase concrete NbS investment cases and financial structures that can absorb and scale private capital.

19:25–19:45 – Closing Reflections

Panel synthesis of:

• 3–5 key takeaways
• Priority areas for collaboration
• Immediate next steps for interested partners

28 October from 16:45 – Networking at the Netherlands Pavilion

Informal matchmaking around:

• Scaling promising tools and investment cases
• Designing joint programmes and facilities
• Building new public–private partnerships