130 Organizations Demanded Financial Reform for Nature
A coalition representing trillions in assets has urged governments to pivot spending away from ecosystem-harmful subsidies.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Environmental
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Should governments phase out financial subsidies for industries that harm nature to support environmental goals?
One hundred thirty organizations have signed an open letter calling on global governments to reform public spending that currently rewards practices damaging to ecosystems. The signatories, representing $600 billion in revenue and $4.7 trillion in assets, are pushing for an alignment of national policies with international conservation targets.
Why it matters
Governments are urged to move away from subsidies that deplete natural resources and toward investments in resilient, nature-based solutions to mitigate global threats. This reform is seen as essential to meeting the ambitious biodiversity restoration targets set for the end of the decade.
Signatories represent $4.7 trillion in assets under management and $600 billion in company revenues. While $2.4 trillion was allocated to harmful subsidies in 2023, investments in nature-based solutions must reach $571 billion annually by 2030.
The players
UN Environment Programme
This is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda and promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development.
World Economic Forum
This international non-governmental organization is based in Switzerland and is best known for its annual meeting in Davos, which brings together political and business leaders.
The details
The coalition is specifically targeting the redirection of public funds currently allocated to intensive agriculture and fossil fuel sectors. They are advocating for the creation of cross-ministerial platforms to design equitable reform plans that support the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework goal of restoring 30% of degraded ecosystems.
Timeline
2022: Countries agreed to the Global Biodiversity Framework.
2023: Governments allocated $2.4 trillion to harmful subsidies.
2025: Deadline for nations to identify biodiversity-harmful subsidies.
2030: Target year for ecosystem restoration and subsidy reduction.
The Big Picture
This effort follows the pattern of accountability set by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework by highlighting the significant gap between current government spending and established international restoration goals.
If governments successfully pivot $2.6 trillion in annual subsidies toward nature-based solutions, consumers may see shifts in food prices and energy costs related to intensive agriculture and fossil fuels. These reforms aim to secure long-term environmental stability, which could impact the availability and cost of raw materials in the global supply chain.
The takeaway
The massive scale of current subsidies for harmful activities presents a significant financial hurdle for global restoration goals. Organizations are signaling that private sector alignment is necessary to bridge the multi-trillion dollar investment gap required for environmental recovery.
Further reading
For more context on ongoing international restoration efforts, visit the Environmental section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Edie.
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Should governments phase out financial subsidies for industries that harm nature to support environmental goals?
