Washington D.C., 16 October 2025 - The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), together with the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), have officially launched the Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Integrated Programme. With $100 million in GEF funding and $700 million in co-financing, the Programme will be led by UNEP, with CAF and ADB serving as co-leads. The initiative seeks to align climate and biodiversity goals by driving systemic economic and financial transformation, while mobilizing governments, businesses, and communities to take urgent, integrated action.
Despite clear scientific consensus on the interconnectedness of climate change and biodiversity loss, global responses remain fragmented and underfunded. Public budgets are often misaligned with environmental goals, and fiscal systems rarely incentivize private capital at the scale required. This lack of coherence threatens progress on both climate and nature targets.
The Programme aims to support countries in aligning their climate goals including reaching net-zero emissions and their efforts to protect biodiversity by integrating both into their national plans. It supports the implementation of the Paris Agreement, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and other global commitments through an inclusive approach that engages all sectors of the economy and society. The Programme will support 12 countriesChile, Costa Rica, Cte dIvoire, Indonesia, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Viet Namthrough a blend of national-level projects and a global platform for knowledge sharing, capacity building, and innovation. In-country implementation will also be supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The launch was announced at a high-level event held 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. The event brought together Finance Ministers from participating countries, leaders from multilateral development banks, private sector representatives, and international organizations, all united in the goal of driving joint investment and action.
The Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Integrated Programme is designed to deliver measurable outcomes, including the restoration or improved management of 1 million hectares of land and a reduction of approximately 75 million tons of carbon emissions. These results will directly support global efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reverse biodiversity loss within this critical decade where all hands are on deck to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.
We welcome the launch of the Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Programme as a timely and transformative initiative. As we confront the realities of climate change and biodiversity loss, aligning our financial systems with environmental priorities is not just necessaryit is urgent. This Programme offers a unique opportunity to mobilize public and private finance, build institutional capacity, and integrate nature-based solutions into our national development strategies. We are proud to stand with our partners in advancing a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive future for all," said Ugandas Dr. Sam Mugume, Co-Chair of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action (CFMCA) during his keynote address. Additional contributions were made from the Finance Ministers of Chile, Mexico, Indonesia, and Nigeria.
The launch of the Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Integrated Programme marks an important milestone in aligning finance with both climate and biodiversity goals, said Carlos Manuel Rodrguez, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF. GEF funding helps countries everywhere reduce risks, increase resilience, and address crises. 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.
"The science is clear: climate change and biodiversity loss are deeply interconnected crises so they need to be addressed together. Through the Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Programme, we are helping 12 countries integrate and accelerate climate and nature action to increase resilience and set the groundwork for low-carbon growth. Thanks to the support of the GEF and our partners, we're scaling solutions that transform economies, create jobs and protect ecosystems. Now is the time to acttogetherfor a net-zero, nature-positive future," said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP.
The launch marks a major shift in how countries and institutions approach climate and biodiversity action. By building on existing efforts that promote inclusive governance, cross-sectoral coordination, and innovative financial mechanisms, the Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Programme paves the way for deeper integration under the upcoming GEF-9 replenishment cycle, where UNEP and partners will scale up these approaches even further.
