A recent report reveals that global biodiversity is declining at record rates, despite over $5 billion in funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and billions more in co-financing. The Living Planet Index shows that monitored wildlife populations have plummeted by over 70% since 1970, with freshwater species experiencing the sharpest drops.

 GEF insists its work remains impactful, pointing to new initiatives like the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) and nature bonds being launched across Africa. However, critics argue that the funding often fails to directly reach indigenous communities and lacks proper monitoring and long-term sustainability planning. As the world approaches a $200 billion annual biodiversity finance gap, experts emphasize that real progress demands inclusive, locally-led, and data-driven conservation efforts to halt this alarming trend.