From Margins to Mainstream: Scaling Wetland Finance to Deliver the Global Biodiversity Framework

Wetlands are among the most powerful yet undervalued tools for delivering multiple targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, while also strengthening climate adaptation and resilience. Wetlands protect hundreds of millions of people from floods, droughts, and storm surges, underpin water security and livelihoods, and store vast quantities of blue carbon. Yet wetlands remain significantly under-prioritised in the implementation of the KM-GBF, as highlighted in the Global Report. They are chronically underfunded and largely absent from emerging carbon markets and adaptation finance flows, which holds back progress on Targets 2, 8, 11 and 19 in particular.

Unlocking the full potential of wetlands means tackling two linked challenges together: low implementation and inadequate financial. This session asks what it will take to move wetland finacne from the margins, where it consists of isolated pilots and grant-funded projects, into mainstream as investable, scalable financing models.

Bringing together leading voices from finance, conservation and business, the panel will explore how emerging approaches to adaptation and resilience finance can mobilise investment in wetland protection and restoration at scale, and in doing so accelerate effective delivery of the KM-GBF.