A recent study has revealed a shocking imbalance in global conservation funding – critically important but less "fashionable" species like invertebrates, plants, and smaller mammals receive only a fraction of the support they desperately need. This disparity in funding accelerates the extinction crisis, with nearly 94% of threatened species receiving no support. From freshwater snails to reptiles, these often-overlooked species need our protection and urgent funding if we are to avoid an irreversible collapse of biodiversity.
Sign the petition to urge the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to champion fairer, science-driven conservation funding for all species.
The study, conducted by experts from the University of Hong Kong, found that the vast majority of conservation funds – 82.9% – are allocated to vertebrates, with a staggering 85% of those funds going to birds and mammals. This leaves plants, invertebrates, and other crucial species like amphibians and rodents severely underfunded.
The imbalance is most extreme for invertebrates, which have been receiving up to 40% less funding than previously thought. As species face an unprecedented extinction crisis, this funding bias only deepens the ecological divide, further endangering the delicate balance of ecosystems across the world.
By shifting the focus of global conservation efforts to include all species, UNEP can help pave the way for a more inclusive and balanced approach to saving our planet's most vulnerable life forms.
Sign the petition to demand that UNEP lead the charge for a fairer, more equitable distribution of conservation funds, ensuring that all species receive the attention and protection they deserve.
