He International Day of Biological Diversity or Biodiversity is commemorated every 22 MayIt is a unique opportunity to remember the importance of biodiversity for the planet and humans and the anthropogenic actions that are damaged, as is the case of the sofa What we are dealing with today.
Protect biodiversity of animals and plants is essential for maintaining the status quo of the ecosystem. This has major implications for human health and safety. And biodiversity serves as support and support of human life by offering our resources that serve our food, medicines and much more.
The problem is that the majority of the banks, As the specific case of Santander is Directly contribute to the loss of biodiversity that the planet experiencesBecause they support financial companies and companies that demand, generate BKG, fossil fuels, pollution and a length etc. generate, etc.
International Day of Biological Diversity 2025: The ‘green’ hypocrisy of the banks
On the occasion of the celebration of the World day of biological diversity and There is no life within his campaign without biodiversityAn environmental group criticizes the enrichment of large companies and sofa With harmful investments for biodiversity, promoting deforestation and extinction of species worldwide.
Loose Spanish banks play an excellent role in this destruction. That is why the environmental organization claims to the Spanish government and the European Commission that prohibit the investments of companies and banking sector in destructive companies of biodiversity.
In that sense, the responsibility of large companies worldwide is striking, they are Billions of euros invest in economic activities that destroy species and ecosystems Over the entire planet, especially in the Global South.
So, so, According to the report ‘State of Finance for Nature’ of the Environmental Program of the United Nations, The largest companies on the planet invested 4.6 billion euros in companies that immediately destroy nature in 2022. Industrial activities, services, the energy sector, the real estate sector or the extractive and chemical industry stand out.
We must add the financial flows to these indirect investments that support economic activities through credit and investments. Thus, economic financing for these destructive companies reached 1,156 billion euros between 2016 and 2023, according to the Study ‘Financing of the destruction of ecosystems’ published by various environmental organizations.
In this context, sofa Spaniards have a very prominent role. He Banco Santander invested 45,000 million in the fossil industry between 2016 and 2023With an increase of 77% 2023 compared to the previous year. BBVA and Caixabank are followed closely.
And Published study a few days ago by the Global Witness Organization Proof found that Santander, together with others banks, With 1.3 billion euros, he funded the activities of the Argentinian company Cresud and his subsidiary Brazilagro.
Both companies are responsible for speeding up a maximum of 173,000 hectares of critical ecosystems as closed in Brazil, Chaco between Argentina and Paraguay or the Bolivian Chiquitano. Cresud is one real estate company dedicated to obtaining virgin countriesTheir “stabilization” when they call the elimination of indigenous vegetation and fauna, and their resale in the agricultural sector for soybeans, corn, sunflower and cattle farm.
Last year, the Banco Santander was the largest financier of the EU for companies that were related to the risk of deforestation of the agricultural sector. All this despite the “obligations” of the banco Chaired by Ana Botín to “limit deforestation” in 2018 and “reach a zero net deforestation” in 2021.
The NGO believes that “Enormous hypocrisy of the Santander Bank, which drives the destruction of nature Although it argues a respectful policy, it shows that strict regulation of banking activities in the EU is essential. “
The environmental organization requires the Spanish government and the European Commission A Strong bet to set up a harmonized regulatory system at European levelThis prohibits the investments of companies and banking sector in companies that destroy biodiversity. This is an essential jump if it is intended to stop the massive loss of species.
Meta 15 of the Kunming-Montreal world-biodiversity framework, approved by COP15 of the biological diversity agreement, already states that the Companies must inform about transparency of their risks, dependence and consequences for biodiversity. But this will not be enough without strengthening the international regulatory framework, starting with the EU and, in it, Spain.