On the sidelines of the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced updates regarding fresh conservation initiatives across developing countries.
Accordingly, nine new conservation projects totaling approximately $4.5 million will be rolled out. These initiatives mark the initial phase of the fund's third funding round, spanning Armenia, Bangladesh, Benin, Cameroon, Cuba, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Somalia, and Vietnam.
Vietnam's inclusion among the recipient countries unlocks additional pathways to access international funding, strengthening nationwide efforts in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration.
The Kunming Biodiversity Fund was announced by China in October 2021 during the COP15 Leaders' Summit, backed by an initial financial pledge of 1.5 billion yuan ($225 million). China has since contributed 400 million yuan (roughly $60 million) to the fund while calling on global governments, corporations, and civil society organizations to mobilize collaborative resources.
The fund prioritizes scalable and replicable conservation models capable of blending diverse financing streams to bridge the biodiversity funding gap. To date, the fund has approved 31 projects across 45 developing nations.
Ms. Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), characterized the fund as a flexible instrument aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, vital for advancing its 2030 targets.
Meanwhile, Ms. Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), noted that the nine new projects are part of a broader plan to disburse roughly $21 million by the end of 2026, delivering much-needed financial resources to recipient countries.
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