Ukraine has joined the global BIOFIN initiative (Biodiversity Finance Initiative), which aims to mobilize funding for the conservation and restoration of biodiversity. The programme will help shift from assessing environmental damage to systematic planning and implementation of measures to restore natural ecosystems.
This was discussed during the inaugural meeting of the BIOFIN Advisory Committee in Ukraine, held on April 23, 2026, in Kyiv, co-chaired by the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine.
“Full-scale war has dealt an unprecedented blow to Ukraine’s biodiversity: more than 30% of protected areas — around 900 sites and 1.2 million hectares — have already been affected by hostilities. In these conditions, BIOFIN will help move from responding to damage toward systematic recovery. The programme will allow us to clearly define financial needs and develop a portfolio of solutions for restoring nature reserve institutions. We are grateful to our international partners, in particular the Government of Germany and UNDP, for supporting the launch of this initiative in Ukraine,” said Oleksandr Krasnolutskyi.
The programme includes identifying financial needs in the field of biodiversity conservation, developing a Biodiversity Finance Plan, and implementing concrete financial instruments to support environmental protection measures.
Olena Krivoruchkina, Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management, emphasized that Ukraine is moving from documenting environmental damage to strategic planning for green recovery, and that participation in BIOFIN will help integrate environmental policy into the country’s economic and budgetary policy.
BIOFIN Global Manager Martin Cadena noted the high level of engagement from the Ukrainian side and the international team’s readiness to provide expert support.
UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Ukraine, Khrystoforos Politidis, stressed that the programme in Ukraine will be implemented through 2030 and will combine practical solutions with analytical work, ensuring measurable results.
Following the Advisory Committee meeting, an expert roundtable was held with representatives of more than 40 nature reserve institutions in Ukraine. Participants discussed key challenges in financing biodiversity conservation at both national and local levels, as well as opportunities for introducing new financial instruments within the BIOFIN programme.
BIOFIN (Biodiversity Finance Initiative) is a global UNDP-led programme launched in 2012. Its goal is to support countries in developing and implementing systemic solutions for financing biodiversity conservation. To date, the programme has helped mobilize over 2.7 billion US dollars for environmental protection measures.
The BIOFIN Advisory Committee in Ukraine is co-chaired by the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine and UNDP. It includes representatives of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management, international partners, and civil society.
