WASHINGTON — The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has launched a major new initiative to bridge the divide between global climate and biodiversity goals. The Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Integrated Programme, unveiled alongside the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), will channel $100 million in GEF funding and $700 million in co-financing to help twelve countries align national climate and nature strategies.
The Programme, led by UNEP with CAF and ADB as co-leads, is designed to accelerate the integration of biodiversity protection and decarbonization into national planning and finance systems. It was formally announced at a high-level event on the sidelines of the 2025 World Bank Group–IMF Annual Meetings, under the theme “Catalysing Public and Private Finance to Accelerate Net-Zero Nature-Positive Action.”
Aligning Climate and Nature Goals
Despite overwhelming scientific evidence that climate change and biodiversity loss are interconnected, the two crises have long been addressed through separate policy channels. Funding streams remain fragmented, and public budgets often misalign with environmental priorities. The new UNEP-GEF initiative seeks to correct that imbalance by driving systemic economic and financial transformation — embedding natural-capital valuation, nature-based solutions, and decarbonization into fiscal planning.
Twelve participating countries — Chile, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Indonesia, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Viet Nam — will receive technical and financial support to align their national climate targets with the Paris Agreement and their biodiversity commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Partnerships for Implementation
The Programme will combine national-level projects with a global knowledge platform focused on capacity-building, innovation, and shared learning. Implementation will be supported by UNDP, UNIDO, and FAO, ensuring integration across key sectors such as agriculture, energy, industry, and finance.
“We welcome the launch of the Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Programme as a timely and transformative initiative,” said Dr. Sam Mugume, Co-Chair of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action (CFMCA). “Aligning our financial systems with environmental priorities is not just necessary—it is urgent. This Programme offers a unique opportunity to mobilize public and private finance and integrate nature-based solutions into our national development strategies.”
Finance ministers from Chile, Mexico, Indonesia, and Nigeria also addressed the launch, underscoring the Programme’s role in advancing the global shift toward integrated environmental governance.
Measurable Impact
UNEP and its partners estimate that the Programme will contribute to the restoration or improved management of one million hectares of land and cut or avoid approximately 75 million tons of carbon emissions. These targets reinforce the initiative’s commitment to measurable results that advance both climate mitigation and biodiversity protection.
“The launch marks an important milestone in aligning finance with both climate and biodiversity goals,” said Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF. “This program will help countries mobilize finance at scale, integrate nature-based solutions into decarbonization strategies, and accelerate the systemic change required for a sustainable future.”
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen emphasized that the science is unequivocal: “Climate change and biodiversity loss are deeply interconnected crises – they must be addressed together. Thanks to the GEF and our partners, we’re scaling solutions that transform economies, create jobs, and protect ecosystems.”
A Model for Integration
By embedding climate and nature action within national fiscal systems, the Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Programme reflects a broader shift in multilateral environmental finance: one that prioritizes integration over isolation. The initiative links mitigation, adaptation, and ecosystem restoration — offering a replicable model for future GEF programming under the upcoming GEF-9 replenishment cycle.
For developing economies, the Programme represents more than funding; it’s a framework for policy coherence and investment alignment at a time when environmental and fiscal resilience are increasingly inseparable.
The Takeaway for Policymakers
For finance and environment ministers, the message is clear: aligning budgets, incentives, and investment flows with the goals of both the Paris Agreement and the Global Biodiversity Framework is now the next frontier of sustainable development.
As UNEP and partners scale this approach, the Programme signals a turning point — one where the integration of climate and nature finance is no longer an aspiration but a requirement for achieving resilience, equity, and growth within this decisive decade.
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