• UNEP report says total nature-negative finance flows reached $7.3tr in 2023
• Private sources accounted for $4.9tr

ISLAMABAD: For every $1 the world invests in protecting nature, it spends $30 on destroying it. This stark imbalance is the central finding of a new report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The ‘State of Finance for Nature 2026’ report finds that total nature-negative finance flows stand at $7.3 trillion. Of this, $4.9tr comes from private sources, highly concentrated in a few sectors including utilities, industrials, energy, and basic materials. Public environmentally harmful subsidies — mainly for fossil fuels, agriculture, water, transport and construction — amounted to $2.4tr in 2023.

Released on Thursday, the rep­ort called for a major shift in global financing towards nature-based solutions (NbS) and the phasing out of harmful investments to deliver high returns, reduce risk exposure, and enhance resilience.

The report further finds that finance flows for NbS totalled $220 billion, with nearly 90 per cent coming from public sources, reflecting a steady rise in domestic and international support.

Globally, finance flows remain heavily skewed towards nature-negative activities, threatening ecosystems, economies and human well-being. Nearly half of the global economy significantly depends on nature, yet governments, businesses and financial institutions continue to erode the world’s collective natural capital.

In 2023, finance directly harmful to nature reached $7.3tr, while investments in NbS amounted to only $220bn. To meet global commitments under the Rio Conventions, NbS investment must increase by more than two and a half times to $571bn by 2030, while harmful finance flows must be phased out and repurposed, emphasised the report.

While finance for NbS has continued to grow, it remains far below the level required to meet global biodiversity, climate and land restoration goals.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2026