The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has issued an assessment of the current state of finance for nature. The report finds that for every dollar invested in protecting nature, USD 30 is spent destroying it, leaving the world “far off track” in tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation.
Titled, ‘State of Finance for Nature 2026: Nature in the Red: Powering the Trillion Dollar Nature Transition Economy,’ the report relies on improved data and methods to track finance flows towards Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in 2023, NbS investment needs and opportunities to 2030 and 2050, and nature-negative finance.
The report estimates that USD 7.3 trillion flowed into nature-negative activities in 2023, including fossil fuel subsidies and investments in high-impact sectors like utilities and energy. At the same time, only USD 220 billion supported NbS, with private sector contributions assessed at only USD 23 billion. The report finds that to meet global goals on biodiversity, climate, and land restoration, NbS investment must increase 2.5 times to USD 571 billion per year by 2030. This is equivalent to just 0.5% of global gross domestic product (GDP).
“While financing nature-based solutions crawls forward, harmful investments and subsidies are surging ahead,” said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen. “This report offers leaders a clear roadmap to reverse this trend and work with nature, rather than against it,” she emphasized.
Introducing the Nature Transition X-Curve – a practical framework guiding governments and businesses to phase out harmful subsidies and investments while scaling NbS in all economic sectors, the report illustrates “how redirecting even a fraction of existing harmful flows could close the finance gap and unlock a trillion-dollar nature transition economy.”
Among opportunities for moving from a nature-negative to a nature-positive economy, the report highlights regenerative agriculture and sustainable forestry, deforestation-free supply chains, biodiversity credits and high-integrity carbon markets, nature-linked bonds and innovative green finance, and urban greening and resilient urban development. “A crucial principle in nature-positive investments is to ground them in local ecological, cultural, and social contexts, while ensuring their inclusivity and equity,” a UNEP press release highlights.
The report was issued on 22 January 2026. [Publication: State of Finance for Nature 2026: Nature in the Red: Powering the Trillion Dollar Nature Transition Economy] [Summary for Decision Makers] [Publication Landing Page] [UNEP Technical Highlight] [UN News Story] [SDG Knowledge Hub Stories on 2022 and 2023 State of Finance for Nature Reports] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on 2022 State of Finance for Nature in the G20]