The Kunming Biodiversity Fund (KBF), launched in May 2024 with Chinese support, has emerged as a pivotal force in advancing global conservation efforts, according to a senior Chinese environmental official. Speaking at a side event during the ongoing seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi, the vice minister of ecology and environment highlighted the fund’s role in accelerating habitat protection projects across Asia and Africa.
Since its inception last year, the KBF has allocated over $200 million to 34 initiatives, including mangrove restoration in Southeast Asia and anti-poaching programs in Kenya. “This fund demonstrates China’s commitment to multilateral environmental governance,” the vice minister stated, emphasizing partnerships with developing nations.
The Nairobi event showcased early successes, such as the rehabilitation of 12,000 hectares of wetlands in Cambodia and improved protection for endangered snow leopards in Central Asia. With 63 countries now participating, the KBF is poised to expand its focus on marine conservation in 2026, aligning with the UN’s Decade of Ocean Science.
