Financial sector ‘critical’ to stemming biodiversity loss, says Thérèse Coffey

The financial sector must be encouraged to invest in nature conservation for the world to meet this decade’s UN biodiversity targets, the UK environment secretary has said.

Thérèse Coffey, speaking at an event at Lancaster House in London to mobilise private finance after Cop15, said the private sector had a critical role to play in meeting this decade’s deal to halt the destruction of Earth’s ecosystems.

The agreement includes a target to scale global funding for nature to $200bn (£167bn) a year by the end of the decade, with companies and financial institutions expected to play a significant part.