The overall objectives of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity require the mobilisation of resources to effectively implement the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. Yet, at the recent 13th meeting of the parties to the CBD, data and reports showed that around two-thirds of the global targets are currently not on track. What are the United Nations’ financial mechanisms for biodiversity, who tracks them, and how? And what happens if countries do not meet their 2020 biodiversity targets?