The draft annual budget for 2023, released by the Commission on 7 June, includes an overview of biodiversity mainstreaming in EU programmes with updated estimates of biodiversity financing over the period 2021-2027. According to these estimates, the ambition expressed in the inter-institutional agreement on the EU long-term budget to reach at least 7,5 % of annual spending contributing to biodiversity in 2024 would be met, but more efforts would be needed to reach the level of 10 % in 2026 and 2027.

These estimates are based on expected programming expenditure and a partial update of the Commission’s biodiversity tracking methodology (for EAGF and EAFRD, the methodology is still to be revised and the estimates updated, in parallel with the adoption process of the CAP strategic plans). This update makes use of the findings of a recently published study on biodiversity financing and tracking. This study also provides an assessment of the funding needs to fully implement the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the finance gap. Find out more here. The new biodiversity tracking methodology is available under this link (except the CAP part, which will be reflected as soon as available).