The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is a global non-profit helping animals and people thrive together. We work across more than 40 countries to rescue, rehabilitate, and release animals, and to restore and protect their natural habitats. In the UK and internationally, we partner with governments, local communities, and civil society to deliver evidence-based, locally led conservation and animal welfare programmes that contribute to sustainable development and biodiversity protection.
IFAW urges the UK Government to prioritise biodiversity conservation and environmental protection as core pillars of its ODA strategy. The climate and biodiversity crises are deeply interconnected, and the degradation of ecosystems undermines development gains, exacerbates poverty, and increases vulnerability to climate shocks.
The UK has historically played a leadership role in global biodiversity conservation through flagship programmes such as the Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) Challenge Fund, the Darwin Initiative, and the OCEAN Country Partnership Programme. These funds have supported high-impact, community-led projects that protect endangered species, restore habitats, and build local capacity.
However, recent cuts to these programmes have significantly weakened the UK’s ability to deliver on its international commitments under the Global Biodiversity Framework, Paris Agreement, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Reinstating and expanding these funds would demonstrate the UK’s continued commitment to global leadership in nature conservation and sustainable development.
We recommend the UK adopt a biodiversity spending target of 15% of external funding, in line with Target 19 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which calls for $20 billion/year by 2025 and $30 billion by 2030 from developed countries.
Flexibility in UK ODA should be grounded in locally led, context-specific approaches. Conservation and development challenges vary widely across regions, and solutions must be co-designed with local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and national governments.
IFAW’s work in East and Southern Africa supports community conservancies that protect wildlife while generating sustainable livelihoods through eco-tourism, rangeland management, and anti-poaching initiatives. These projects are successful because they are locally owned, culturally appropriate, and adaptable to changing needs.
The UK can enhance flexibility by providing longer-term, core funding to trusted local partners, supporting adaptive management approaches, and investing in capacity-building for local NGOs and community-based organisations.
Flexibility must not come at the expense of predictability, which is essential for long-term conservation outcomes. A 'flexibility + predictability' model would ensure biodiversity programmes receive sustained support even amid shifting priorities.
Biodiversity conservation is not only a moral and environmental imperative, but also a strategic investment in stability, resilience, and prosperity. Illegal wildlife trade is often linked to organised crime, corruption, and insecurity. By funding anti-poaching and wildlife trafficking initiatives through the IWT Challenge Fund, the UK has helped reduce criminal activity, strengthen governance, and support the rule of law in partner countries. Healthy ecosystems underpin food security, water availability, and disaster resilience, all essential for long-term economic development and regional stability. Investing in nature-based solutions aligns with the UK’s foreign policy goals and enhances its global standing.
The UK should move away from top-down models and instead co-create programmes with local stakeholders, fund local organisations directly, and recognise Indigenous knowledge systems alongside scientific expertise.
IFAW’s partnerships in Kenya, Malawi, and India demonstrate the power of equitable collaboration. We work with local communities to design conservation strategies that reflect their priorities, respect their rights, and deliver mutual benefits. Empowering local delivery means investing in capacity, trust, and long-term relationships. This includes supporting training and mentorship for local conservationists and community leaders, funding locally registered NGOs, and encouraging participatory monitoring and evaluation.
We recommend to expand support to Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and civil society organisations, and to adapt UK funding mechanisms to allow direct access for local actors, reducing reliance on large intermediaries.
UK taxpayers rightly expect their contributions to deliver measurable, sustainable impact. Biodiversity-focused ODA offers exceptional value for money by addressing multiple SDGs simultaneously, preventing costly crises, and leveraging co-financing from philanthropic and private sector partners.
For example, the Darwin Initiative has supported over 1,200 projects in 159 countries, delivering high-impact conservation outcomes with relatively modest investments. Independent evaluations have consistently found these programmes to be cost-effective and impactful.
We support nature-based solutions as delivering high social and environmental returns, often exceeding the 'do no significant harm' principle. Transparent reporting, robust evaluation, and public engagement are key to maintaining public trust and demonstrating the value of aid.
Multilateral institutions must do more to mainstream biodiversity and environmental sustainability across their portfolios. Conservation should be treated as a foundational pillar of development.
The UK should advocate for stronger environmental safeguards and mandatory biodiversity impact assessments in multilateral funding decisions. We recommend the UK push for dedicated biodiversity funding windows and de-risking mechanisms to attract private investment in conservation.
Additionally, the UK can lead by example, ensuring its own ODA investments are aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Paris Agreement.
The UK has a proud legacy of leadership in global development and biodiversity conservation. However, recent cuts to key programmes like the IWT Challenge Fund, Darwin Initiative, and OCEAN risk undermining this legacy at a time when global biodiversity is in crisis.
IFAW urges the UK Government to restore and expand funding for biodiversity-focused ODA, priorities locally led, partnership-based approaches, and champion the integration of environmental sustainability across all development efforts. By doing so, the UK can reaffirm its commitment to a fairer, greener, and more resilient world, one where people and animals thrive together.
For additional information, please contact Samara El-Haddad, Senior Program Officer at IFAW: selhaddad@ifaw.org .