Ukraine has joined the global BIOFIN program to finance biodiversity restoration
Ukraine has joined the global BIOFIN (Biodiversity Finance Initiative), which aims to mobilize funding for the conservation and restoration of biodiversity. The program will help transition 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, which took place 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.
“The full-scale war has dealt an unprecedented blow to Ukraine’s biodiversity: over 30% of protected areas—about 900 sites and 1.2 million hectares—have already been affected by hostilities. In these circumstances, BIOFIN will help transition from responding to damage to systematic restoration. The program will allow us to clearly identify financial needs and develop a portfolio of solutions for the restoration of nature reserve sites. We are grateful to our international partners, in particular the Government of Germany and UNDP, for their support in launching this initiative in Ukraine,” said Oleksandr Krasnolutskyi, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture.
The program involves identifying financial needs in the field of biodiversity conservation as well as elaborating a biodiversity financing plan, and the implementation of specific financial instruments to support environmental protection measures.
Olena Kryvoruchkina, Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management, emphasized that Ukraine is shifting from documenting environmental damage to strategic planning for green recovery, and participation in BIOFIN will allow for the integration of environmental policy into the state’s economic and budgetary policies.
Martin Cadena, Global Program Manager for BIOFIN, highlighted the high level of engagement from the Ukrainian side and the international team’s readiness to provide expert support.
Christophoros Politis, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Ukraine, emphasized that the program in Ukraine will be implemented through 2030 and involves the parallel implementation of practical solutions alongside analytical work, which will ensure measurable results.
Following the Advisory Committee meeting, an expert roundtable was held with representatives from over 40 institutions of Ukraine’s nature reserve fund. Participants discussed key challenges in financing biodiversity conservation at both the national and local levels, as well as opportunities for introducing new financial instruments within the BIOFIN program.
Background information
BIOFIN (Biodiversity Finance Initiative) is a global program under the auspices of UNDP, launched in 2012. Its goal is to support countries in developing and implementing systemic solutions for financing biodiversity conservation.