Global financial institutions allocate billions of dollars to activities that impact biodiversity loss.
Many contribute to deforestation and the degradation of essential ecosystems.
A recent report revealed that, only in 2022, large corporations invested **€4.6 trillion** in projects that destroy nature.
Additionally, between 2016 and 2023, financial flows towards these activities reached **€1.156 trillion**, according to data from Ecologistas en Acción, Greenpeace, and other 20 environmental organizations.
## The impact of banking on biodiversity
Investments by major globally present banks, such as Banco Santander, BBVA, and Caixabank, were particularly significant, according to reports.
For example, since 2011, Santander granted **€1.3 billion in credits to companies like Cresud and BrasilAgro**, responsible for deforesting approximately 170,000 hectares in the Argentine Chaco. This area is three times larger than the city of Madrid.
These activities contributed to biodiversity loss and the displacement of local communities.
## Economic activities that threaten biodiversity
– **Intensive agriculture**: Crops like soy, corn, and sunflower, often associated with deforestation and the loss of natural habitats.
– **Extensive livestock farming**: Expansion of pastures that destroy forests and savannas.
– **Extractive industry**: Mining and extraction of natural resources that degrade ecosystems.
– **Infrastructures**: Construction of projects that fragment habitats and alter ecosystems.
These investments not only affect biodiversity but also have implications for climate change and human rights.
## How to reduce the damage
Organizations like Ecologistas en Acción urge governments and the European Commission to implement policies that prohibit investments in destructive biodiversity activities.
Total transparency in investments and rigorous environmental assessment is required to ensure that funds do not contribute to the destruction of vital ecosystems.
