Conversations hosted by Pollination Foundation and the UNEP Finance Initiative during COP16 revealed critical insights into how Indigenous leadership and equitable partnerships are reshaping nature finance. This article incorporates insights shared by Indigenous leaders and financial experts who together explored transformative solutions for financing biodiversity and empowering Indigenous communities at two events in the Finance Pavilion, titled “Building the Future of Nature Finance Together” and “Just Partnerships: Exchange and Learning Between Indigenous Peoples, Afro-Descendant & Local Communities.”

1. Finance needs to flow directly to communities.

Real change happens only when funding directly supports Indigenous and local communities. Patita Nkamunu (EarthAcre) underscored the importance of financial mechanisms that ensure resources reach those stewarding biodiversity daily, allowing conservation to become economically viable. “We need to make sure that the funds flow to the right people – those who hold biodiversity in their day-to-day lives – or conservation becomes impossible. If they don’t benefit from their land, they will sell it for something that brings more immediate financial gains.”

Direct financial incentives, such as EarthAcre’s model of sharing 70% of carbon credit revenues with landowners, illustrate how targeted funding fosters conservation and sustainable livelihoods.

Erica McCreedy (NAILSMA) echoed this, calling for bold investments that place Indigenous communities in decision-making roles. She stressed, “There’s a courageousness required from funders to invest directly in Indigenous communities. Indigenous people are ready and waiting – we just need funders to be brave enough to meet us there.”

Philanthropic finance can act as a critical bridge to de-risking investments in nature-based solutions. As Anna Nascimento (Porticus) highlighted: “Philanthropic finance plays an important role in de-risking possibilities for nature finance, but the key is ensuring that capital reaches those who can promote real change. It’s about putting people and nature at the centre, making sure Indigenous Peoples and local communities are involved from the onset of any finance initiative.”

2. Shift private capital mindsets to support global services.

Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities provide global services, and the role of private capital in financing biodiversity is pivotal, but it requires a paradigm shift. Anabella Rodriguez (Climate Asset Management) called for greater humility and collaboration from private investors: “Private capital is often very prescriptive—we have the capital, we want this return, just follow these rules. But that’s not the way forward for nature. If private capital can just listen, there’s so much we can learn. Indigenous communities know how to steward nature far better than we ever have.”

Hari Balasubramanian (EcoAdvisors) framed the urgency of redirecting global financial flows: “We spend over half of global GDP destroying nature. No investor in their right mind would say that’s a good business model.”

Bustar Maitar (EcoNusa Foundation) expressed frustration with the current financial systems: “I think we should be angry… Always hearing about billions of dollars for biodiversity, coming to these events, convincing everyone, yet still no money is coming to Indigenous communities.” This disconnect underscores the need for financial systems to deliver resources directly and equitably.

3. Indigenous vision supports enduring stewardship.

Indigenous leadership offers a vision of sustainability rooted in stewardship and regeneration, and Indigenous Peoples have a strong vision for what’s needed for people and nature to thrive.

Both José Gualinga (CONFENIAE) and Ňkwi Flores (Kinray Hub) stressed the necessity of long-term financial strategies rooted in Indigenous worldviews. Ňkwi introduced the metaphor of a “semi-permeable membrane” to describe the balance Indigenous communities maintain between engaging with external economies and protecting their ecosystems and cultures. “We have a very great record from our stewardship of nature. You are investing capital, but we are investing our livelihoods,” he reminded the room.

José highlighted that short-term financial gains are incompatible with the enduring stewardship Indigenous communities provide. “The longer the plan, the better it will be for the communities, for the women, and for everyone involved. It’s about building a future, not just quick fixes,” he said.

Trust-based partnerships are non-negotiable.

Trust and respect are non-negotiable for successful partnerships. Jane Hutchinson (Pollination Foundation) emphasised the importance of relationships based on mutual respect rather than transactional interactions. “Partnerships are not just transactional; they need to be based on friendship. You can’t take it for granted, and you can’t leave it unattended and expect it to still be there.”

Emil Sirén Gualinga (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre) reinforced the importance of equality: “We need dialogue, but not just having me here in this space. It should be a cultural dialogue where both Indigenous and non-Indigenous spaces work together as equals.”

Emil also reminded participants of the existential threat posed by ecosystem collapse, particularly in regions like the Amazon. Partnerships must ensure that Indigenous voices lead, rather than simply participate, in global decision-making processes.

So What? Why These Insights Matter

The discussions at COP16 illuminate the reality that Indigenous communities are indispensable defenders of biodiversity, yet they continue to face systemic exclusion from global financial frameworks. Without their leadership, efforts to protect nature will be insufficient and unsustainable.

The biodiversity crisis is not merely an environmental issue; it is also a matter of justice, equity, and survival. If we fail to shift resources to Indigenous communities, we risk losing not only ecosystems but also the cultures and knowledge systems vital to their protection.

Hear directly from some of the speakers in this video:

What’s Next? Transforming Nature Finance

1. Build Courageous Funding Models
   Funders must shift to direct investments in Indigenous communities, with mechanisms that prioritize equity, transparency, and long-term impact.
2. Empower Indigenous Leadership
   Nature finance systems need to adopt governance structures that place Indigenous communities in decision-making roles, ensuring their expertise shapes outcomes.
3. Collaborate Across Sectors
   Private capital, philanthropic organizations, and governments must collaborate with Indigenous communities as equals, co-creating solutions rather than imposing them.
4. Nurture Trust-Based Partnerships
   Building relationships “at the speed of trust” requires time, respect, and a shared commitment to equitable outcomes.
5. Focus on Long-Term Vision
   Financial strategies should align with the enduring stewardship Indigenous communities provide, integrating their biocultural approaches into global biodiversity goals.

As we look to the future, the path forward lies in collaboration. Indigenous communities, financial institutions, and global leaders must work as equals to transform the systems that have historically excluded Indigenous voices. COP16 has shown us that the tools for change are already within reach – by listening, collaborating, and reallocating resources to the true stewards of nature, we can create a future where biodiversity thrives and justice prevails.