Financing Our Survival: Building a Nature Positive Economy Through Subsidy Reform

In February 2022, new research commissioned by The B Team and Business for Nature found that the world is spending $1.8 trillion on environmentally harmful subsidies (EHS) every year, effectively financing our own extinction. This year, policymakers will meet at the UN CBD COP15 to negotiate the Global Biodiversity Framework, which will dictate action on the nature crisis for the next ten years. This presents a crucial policy window to raise awareness of the scale of the problem and advocate for subsidy reform to protect nature, the economy and humankind.

Our integrated communications strategy played a pivotal role in raising awareness of the total value of harmful subsidies, presenting a rallying call from businesses worldwide advocating for subsidy reform from governments. Alongside high-profile engagement on social media, we secured over 250 pieces of international media coverage and reached policymakers around the world, influencing their position on subsidy reform ahead of the CBD COP15 negotiations.