The world is spending far more money destroying nature than protecting it, according to a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The report reveals that for every one US dollar invested in protecting nature, 30 US dollars are spent harming it. UNEP warns that this imbalance is slowing efforts to combat climate change, protect biodiversity, and build resilient economies.
The findings are detailed in UNEP’s latest report, “State of Finance for Nature 2026”, based on global financial data from 2023.
In 2023, around US$7.3 trillion was spent on activities that damage nature. Of this, US$4.9 trillion came from private sector investments, primarily in energy, utilities, industrial production, and basic materials. Governments contributed US$2.4 trillion through environmentally harmful subsidies in sectors such as fossil fuels, agriculture, water use, transport, and construction.
In contrast, spending on nature-based solutions (NbS)—actions that use nature to address climate and environmental challenges—remains extremely low. Only US$220 billion was invested in NbS globally in 2023, with nearly 90 percent coming from public sources, including governments and international institutions.
Private sector investment in NbS was particularly weak, amounting to just US$23.4 billion, or 10 percent of total funding. UNEP notes that this demonstrates that companies and investors have yet to commit seriously to nature-based solutions, despite their dependence on natural resources.
The report warns that current investment levels are insufficient. To meet global environmental goals, funding for NbS must increase 2.5 times, reaching US$571 billion per year by 2030—equivalent to only 0.5 percent of global GDP.
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen highlighted the challenge:
“If you follow the money, you see the size of the challenge ahead of us. We can either invest in nature’s destruction or power its recovery—there is no middle ground.”
She added that while funding for NbS is slowly increasing, investments and subsidies that harm nature are growing much faster.
“This report offers leaders a clear roadmap to reverse this trend and work with nature, rather than against it,” Andersen said.
To support this shift, the report introduces the Nature Transition X-Curve, a framework designed to help governments, businesses, and investors phase out harmful activities while scaling up nature-positive projects across all sectors. It provides guidance for both public and private actors along supply chains.
Germany’s Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, H.E. Reem Alabali-Radovan, stressed the urgency of redirecting global financial flows:
“The world’s financial flows need an urgent shift from degrading the environment to investments in nature-based solutions. The private sector plays a key role in this.”
She added that German development policy helps countries recognise the value of natural resources so that nature can be factored into economic and policy decisions.
The report highlights practical examples of NbS in action, including greening cities to reduce extreme heat, integrating nature into road and energy projects, and developing building materials that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. UNEP emphasised that successful nature-positive investments must respect local environments, cultures, and communities, ensuring fairness and inclusion.
The report concludes that shifting finance toward nature is not only an environmental imperative but also an economic opportunity to build a sustainable and resilient future for people and the planet.
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