The UK and France are putting money behind a new way to save nature by funding biodiversity credit markets, according to a press release from the Government of United Kingdom. The UK pledged £500,000 while France promised €580,000 to help the panel run programs through to COP30 in Brazil. The money will fund a Policy Lab that helps governments create rules for biodiversity credit markets and build standards for these new financial tools.
The two countries started this panel together in 2023 at a summit in Paris. They brought in finance people, scientists, environmental groups, Indigenous communities, and locals from over a dozen countries to figure out how to make it work. The goal is creating new ways to fund nature protection that actually deliver results instead of just looking good on paper.
The panel has already shown progress. Last year it released guidelines for high-quality biodiversity credit markets at the big UN nature meeting in Colombia, featuring 31 pilot projects from around the world. This June it became fully independent, which means it can operate without governments controlling every decision.
The money will fund a Policy Lab that helps governments write the rules these markets need to work properly. It will also expand the panel’s network of project developers and conservation experts who want to use biodiversity credits. The lab’s job is making sure countries have the legal frameworks to prevent fake credits and greenwashing.
This funding shows both countries want to lead on using finance to protect nature. By creating financial incentives for conservation, they’re betting they can get better results for people and the planet than traditional aid alone.
