The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) today jointly announced the establishment of a Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) on Nature for Health.

Announced on World Wildlife Day, the Fund – through an initial contribution of 50 million Euros from Germany’s International Climate Initiative (IKI) – the MPTF brings together leading UN agencies, intergovernmental organizations and civil society groups in the field of environment and health, namely UNEP, the SCBD, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the EcoHealth Alliance. The Fund will be administered by the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office.

The new Fund will help countries achieve more holistic policymaking by creating further evidence of the links between biodiversity, climate and health, and will support decision makers and relevant actors to take measures to prevent future pandemics. Through application of enhanced One Health approaches, the Fund aims to achieve improved policies and cross-sector collaboration.

“Above all, the Multi-Partner Trust Fund will focus on implementation. Implementation of preventive One Health action and policies at the local, national and regional level. It is necessary to work together to develop the full potential of biodiversity to contribute to our health and well-being across the planet,” said Steffi Lemke, German Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection.

“The global pandemic has revealed how interconnected nature and human well-being are. To address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste, we need a true One Health approach. This is the only way to secure the health and well-being for current and future generations,” said Inger Andersen, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNEP.

The Fund will support fast-tracked implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity Global Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health that is currently under development.

“The post-2020 global biodiversity framework is our prescription for putting nature on a path to recovery. The Multi-Partner Trust Fund will accelerate the uptake of the CBD draft Global Action Plan for Biodiversity and Health, that will be considered at COP-15. This is precisely the type of partnerships needed to achieve the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity and advance the health of people alongside the health of the planet,” said Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The Fund invites countries and donors to join this initiative to take action to prevent the next pandemic by investing in nature. To support the Fund, please contact unep-onehealth@un.org.

Learn more about IUCN’s portfolio on nature and health:

WHO-IUCN Expert Working Group on Biodiversity, Climate, One Health and Nature-based Solutions

PANORAMA One Health | PANORAMA

IUCN Wildlife Health Specialist Group

IUCN Human Health and Ecosystem Management Specialist Group

IUCN WCPA Health and Well-being Specialist Group

About the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

IUCN is the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and some 15,000 experts. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards. IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges, address climate change, reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.

About the World Health Organisation (WHO)

Established in 1948, the World Health Organisation (WHO) works worldwide to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable. Working with 194 Member States, across six regions, and from more than 150 offices, WHO is united in a shared commitment to achieve better health for everyone, everywhere. The goal of WHO is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and well-being.

About the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Since its inception in 1972, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been the global authority that sets the environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

About the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD)

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992 and entered into force on 29 December 1993. It is the first global agreement to cover all aspects of biological diversity: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) was established to support the goals of the Convention. Its primary functions are to organize meetings, prepare reports, assist member governments in the implementation of the various programmes of work, coordinate with other international organizations and collect and disseminate information.

About the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV)

The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) is responsible for a range of government policies that are reflected in the name of the ministry itself. The ministry has been working over 30 years to protect the public from environmental toxins and radiation, to promote the wise and efficient use of raw materials, to advance climate action and to ensure that natural resources are used in a way that protects the diversity of animal and plant species and preserves their habitats. Since December 2021, the BMUV has been responsible not only for environmental protection and nature conservation, but also consumer protection policy. The BMUV therefore shapes core issues for the future that focus on people and their living environments. It drives economic, environmental and social modernisation. Climate action also remains a key issue for the BMUV with a focus on natural climate solutions, climate adaptation and resource policy.