PH calls for boosted global biodiversity financing
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines remains committed to the global “30×30” goal of conserving at least 30 percent of Earth’s land, freshwater, and oceans by 2030, as set in 2022 under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Secretary Juan Miguel “Mitch” Cuna of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reaffirmed this last week during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Leaders Event for Nature and People, stressing that safeguarding biodiversity is crucial to the Philippines’ survival.
Speaking before world leaders in New York City, Cuna said: “As an archipelagic and megadiverse country, we recognize that protecting nature is not only a biodiversity imperative — it is fundamental to our climate resilience, food and water security, livelihoods, and the well-being of our people.”
But he added: “Ambition must be matched by means of implementation, yet securing adequate biodiversity financing remains a critical hurdle.”
As Cuna explained, the Philippines is advancing natural capital accounting and Payment for Ecosystem Services to narrow the funding gap and guide public and private investments.
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He noted that the country is pursuing a nationally grounded pathway through the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, which aims to protect 24 percent of terrestrial areas and 16 percent of coastal and marine areas by 2040.
According to a DENR statement on Wednesday, the Philippines maintains 121 legislated protected areas covering over 4.5 million hectares.
However, Cuna emphasized that conservation progress cannot be measured merely by statistics.
“For us, 30×30 is not simply about increasing the number of hectares on paper. It is about ensuring that conserved areas are effectively managed, ecologically representative, and inclusive,” he said.
To advance equitable governance, Cuna cited the Indigenous Peoples’ Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, an independent framework integrating indigenous knowledge and rights into conservation policies through national dialogues.
Cuna added that domestic efforts face compounding pressures, including climate change, expanding settlements, food demand, and the renewable energy transition.
As far as reaching the “30×30” target is concerned, the global coverage stands at only 17.16 percent for terrestrial areas and 9.8 percent for marine ecosystems, according to the DENR statement.
The World Economic Forum Global Risks Report 2026 underscored the urgency of the situation, pointing out that biodiversity loss is the second-highest global risk over the next decade.
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The UNGA Leaders Event for Nature and People was co-hosted by the United Kingdom, Armenia, Grenada, Guyana, Maldives, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People.
Looking ahead to the Convention on Biological Diversity of the Conference of the Parties (CBD COP 17), which will take place this October CBD COP17 summit, Cuna urged international partners to step up support for developing nations.
“As we move toward CBD COP17, we call for stronger international cooperation, technology and capacity support, and greater access to biodiversity finance for developing countries,” Secretary Cuna urged. “We believe that by working together, we can spur global ambition to protect and conserve nature upon which the health of our planet depends.” /atm
