Biodiversity finance is at a critical juncture: the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework set ambitious global targets, yet contributions to dedicated implementation funds remain a fraction of what is needed.
The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund was created to support implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including efforts to close the global biodiversity finance gap.
This evaluation fills a knowledge gap by examining whether the GBFF—launched in August 2023—has the strategy, organizational design, and operational processes to deliver on its mandate.
It gives special attention to how well the Fund reaches least-developed countries, small island developing states, and Indigenous Peoples and local communities, who face the greatest barriers to accessing biodiversity finance.
Evaluation overview
- Early progress is visible where projects align with national biodiversity strategies, emphasize conservation and restoration, and introduce innovations such as direct funding to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.
- Main challenges include fragmented alignment with GEF biodiversity programming, limited emphasis on policy and financing actions, and monitoring frameworks that track processes rather than results.
- Recommendations focus on strengthening complementarity with the GEF Trust Fund, diversifying resource mobilization, and clarifying selection criteria and indicators to ensure accountability and impact.
Methodology
The evaluation reviews 40 projects in 41 countries from 2023–25, using portfolio analysis, desk reviews, and stakeholder interviews.
