President Ali outlines six-step plan for Global Biodiversity Alliance

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has introduced a six-step plan for the Global Biodiversity Alliance (GBA) to transition from discussion to tangible action over the next 12 months. Speaking at the Second GBA Conference, Ali challenged biodiversity-rich member countries to develop at least one investment-ready project before the alliance meets again next year.

The proposed plan includes the establishment of “solution labs,” which are small, focused groups designed to address specific barriers to practical action, such as making biodiversity credits investable and removing obstacles to private sector finance. A working group led by Pradeepa Bholanath will design the operation and priorities for these labs, with a plan due by the end of November.

Ali identified three primary priorities for the alliance: integrating global science and innovation to develop new solutions, unlocking finance for biodiversity, and demonstrating that conservation can create jobs and strengthen national economies. These efforts aim to address a significant global financing gap, as current mobilization remains far below the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’s target of $200 billion annually.