2024 integrated report

BIODIVERSITYActing for the protection and restoration of biodiversity

We have a long-standing commitment to our clients and partners to support, as part of our financial products and services, the reduction of the negative impacts of human activities on nature, while promoting those that generate a positive impact. Here is a review of concrete actions taken to promote the protection of ecosystems.

As half of the global generation of economic value directly depends on nature⁽¹⁾, its degradation poses a systemic risk to the economy and society. Faced with the accelerated erosion of biodiversity and natural capital, the COP16 biodiversity summit, held in Cali in October 2024 and concluded in Rome in February 2025, highlighted the crucial role of private investors and financial actors in helping to fill the current funding gap for biodiversity. In response to these challenges, BNP Paribas continued its efforts to integrate criteria related to natural capital and biodiversity when analysing the activities of its clients.

SUPPORTING BIODIVERSITY RESEARCH 

In December 2023, the Group signed a multi-year partnership agreement with the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, one of the world’s leading biodiversity knowledge institutions, based in the Netherlands. This collaboration aims to accelerate the protection and restoration of biodiversity through education and raising awareness, research and data, financial innovation and scientific measurement. 

MOBILISING FUNDING TO PRESERVE NATURE 

Aware of the key role of the financial sector, by the end of 2023 BNP Paribas had already exceeded its target, initially set for 2025, of €4 billion in support of clients whose activities contribute to the protection of terrestrial and marine biodiversity. In addition, the BNP Paribas Solar Impulse Venture Fund launched by BNP Paribas Asset Management reached, in July 2024, its minimum target size of €150 million to accelerate the ecological transition. This will enable it to make 15 to 20 investments in European and North American start-ups. Since its launch in 2022, the fund has already invested in several companies with sustainable innovation, including NatureMetrics, a “naturetech” developing a biodiversity monitoring solution based on environmental DNA samples (see page 69). 

INTEGRATING FORESTRY INVESTMENTS INTO PORTFOLIOS 

BNP Paribas Asset Management launched its first fund to invest in sustainable forestry. Classified Article 9 according to the SFDR⁽²⁾, the BNP Paribas Future Forest Fund is also the first fund launched in partnership with International Woodland Company, an expert in natural capital. It aims to support responsible investment practices to combat climate change, improve the resilience of forests and preserve biodiversity. It has a target size of US$500 million and will invest in forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council or eligible for certification, focusing on mature regions such as the United States, Oceania and Europe. 

IMPROVING OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE OCEAN AND PROTECTING IT 

To make informed decisions to protect marine biodiversity, investors need reliable data that meets international standards. With this in mind, BNP Paribas Asset Management participated in a call for ESG⁽³⁾ data providers. For its part, BNP Paribas launched, in partnership with Blue Alliance, the Blue Finance Facility aimed at financing the development of activities generating new sources of income with and for local communities, while protecting marine areas (see page 53).