The global goal to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by the end of the decade will be missed without a rapid acceleration in national action, according to a draft United Nations report. Nations are currently off track on 22 of the 23 targets set for 2030 under the landmark Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, frequently described as the “Paris Agreement for nature”.
Prepared by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, the global review synthesises national reports from 129 countries alongside submissions from businesses, non-governmental organisations, and Indigenous communities. Whilst the report acknowledges “unprecedented” momentum and interest since the framework was adopted in 2022, it concludes that no single target currently presents a fully positive picture of progress.
The assessment identifies severe shortfalls in both national ambition and physical implementation. Progress is lagging most acutely in structural areas, including the reform of environmentally harmful government subsidies, integrating biodiversity into broader economic policy, and mobilizing promised finance for developing nations. Under current commitments, protected land and ocean areas will reach roughly 23% by 2030, falling short of the flagship “30×30” target to protect 30% of the Earth’s surface.
Financial constraints remain a critical bottleneck. Funding mobilised between 2020 and 2023 reached $186 billion, leaving a significant deficit against the $200 billion annual target required by 2030. Furthermore, international financial flows to developing countries remain far below agreed interim milestones.
The draft text is undergoing final technical edits and peer review before being formally published ahead of the COP17 UN biodiversity summit in Armenia this October. The final report will serve as the baseline for a formal global stocktake, where governments will face pressure to close implementation gaps and align national policies with global biodiversity commitments.
