LESSON 2 · The Extinction Crisis
The Protection Gap
Despite success stories, the overall trend is worsening. Conservation spending globally is 76-91 billion dollars annually — a fraction of what is needed. The funding gap for effective biodiversity protection is estimated at 700 billion dollars per year.

Meanwhile, governments spend over 500 billion dollars annually subsidizing fossil fuels, intensive agriculture, and overfishing. In many reserves, a single ranger covers thousands of square kilometers with outdated equipment.