Round 32, eligible Darwin Initiative projects will focus on one or more of 13 global biodiversity hotspots across 36 countries. These hotspots were chosen because they are where the Darwin Initiative is likely to deliver the greatest biodiversity gains per pound invested. The hotspots combine some of the highest concentrations of threatened, irreplaceable species; long-term ODA eligibility and potential to reduce poverty; enabling conditions for lasting, transformative change; and, in some cases, a critical role in regulating climate and global food systems that the UK relies on. The Government recognises that critical conservation and development work is taking place beyond the eligible hotspots and countries, and that those needs and contributions continue to matter.

Round 32, eligible Darwin Initiative projects will focus on one or more of 13 global biodiversity hotspots across 36 countries. These hotspots were chosen because they are where the Darwin Initiative is likely to deliver the greatest biodiversity gains per pound invested. The hotspots combine some of the highest concentrations of threatened, irreplaceable species; long-term ODA eligibility and potential to reduce poverty; enabling conditions for lasting, transformative change; and, in some cases, a critical role in regulating climate and global food systems that the UK relies on. The Government recognises that critical conservation and development work is taking place beyond the eligible hotspots and countries, and that those needs and contributions continue to matter.

The Darwin Initiative continues to support communities to find just, scalable and sustainable ways to conserve and restore nature, while growing their economies and reducing poverty. Funding levels are subject to normal government business planning and approvals processes, and we are not providing a specific budget envelope for Round 32 at this stage. We expect the Initiative to continue supporting substantial new investment, focused on delivering the greatest possible impact for biodiversity, local communities and sustainable development.

In late 2025, Defra informed prospective applicants – through the Darwin’s Initiative’s mailing lists, website and social media channels – that it expects to launch Round 32 of the Darwin Initiative in May 2026. Defra is now finalising the details for this round. When the call for applications opens, Defra will promote it across all of the Darwin Initiative’s communications channels; encourage UK Embassies and High Commissions in eligible countries to promote the opportunity to their in‑country networks; and run a webinar for prospective applicants.

Darwin Extra applications are assessed by the Darwin Expert Committee which then makes recommendations to Defra on which grants to fund. The Answer of 19 December 2023 to Question 5477 noted that Darwin Expert Committee members have declared an interest in 13 of the 107 organisations awarded Darwin Initiative grants in the past 3 years. These 13 organisations were awarded Darwin Initiative grants with a combined value of £37.9m, which represents 49% of the £77m awarded under Rounds 27-29; these 13 organisations also unsuccessfully bid for a further £76.3m of grant funding in Rounds 27-29.

The Darwin Initiative requires an Expert Committee with up-to-date, practical knowledge of how to implement successful international development and conservation projects. Under its last three funding rounds, the Darwin Initiative received applications from 915 organisations. To not permit anyone with links to these organisations to serve on the Darwin Initiative’s Expert Committee could limit Defra’s ability to determine which proposed investments are most likely to succeed.

To ensure the independence of any advice provided by the Committee, Defra has in place a robust conflicts of interest policy, where members are required to declare their interests and recuse themselves from the assessment of any application in which they have an interest. Decisions on which Darwin Initiative grants to award are taken by Defra.

Under its last three funding rounds, the Darwin Initiative received applications from 915 organisations.

To robustly assess applications against published criteria, Defra requires technical experts with relevant experience and knowledge. If we were to prevent experts with links to these 915 organisations from joining the Darwin Expert Committee, we would significantly compromise the Committee's capability to technically assess and make recommendations to Defra.

This is why Defra put in place a robust conflicts of interest policy, where members are required to declare their interests and recuse themselves from the assessment of any application in which they have an interest.

Decisions on which Darwin Initiative grants to award are taken by Defra.

The Darwin Expert Committee technically assesses proposals and provides its' recommendations to Defra for consideration. Defra appoints new members to the Committee following an open and competitive recruitment process, based on their capabilities and technical expertise and not to represent the organisation for which they work.

To ensure the independence of the advice provided by the Committee, Defra has in place a robust conflicts of interest policy, where members are required to declare their interests and recuse themselves from the assessment of any application in which they have an interest. Under its last three funding rounds, the Darwin Initiative received applications from 915 organisations.

Defra publishes the names of Darwin Expert Committee members and organisations they are associated on the Darwin Initiative website. Successful Darwin Initiative grant applications are also detailed on the same website. Defra does not reveal the identities of unsuccessful applicants as it considers this information to be sensitive. The current round of bidding for Darwin Extra grants is ongoing. Defra will publish details of successful applications when the process is complete.

The Darwin Initiative prevents Conflicts of Interest from influencing funding decisions by requiring its Expert Committee members to declare interests and recuse themselves from the assessment and discussion of any application in which they have an interest. This is monitored by Defra and in line with the Nolan Committee’s Seven Principles of Public Life.

The Darwin Initiative website details successful grants applications and names its Expert Committee members, alongside their associated organisations.

Darwin Expert Committee members have declared an interest in 13 of the 107 organisations awarded Darwin Initiative grants in the past 3 years. Committee members must recuse themselves from the assessment of any application in which they have declared an interest.

The 13 organisations are: Bangor University, Botanic Gardens Conservation International, C3 Philippines, Fauna and Flora International, International Institute for Environment and Development, Royal Botanical Gardens Edinburgh, Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, The Nature Conservancy, United Nations Environment Programme, University of Oxford, Wildlife Conservation Society, World Wide Fund for Nature UK and the Zoological Society of London.

The Biodiversity Challenge Funds (BCF) include the Darwin Initiative, Darwin Plus and the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which support a series of projects under distinct funding rounds.

All grants under these schemes report on effectiveness through a combination of half-year, annual and final reports. These reports are assessed by an independent specialist. A sample of projects across the portfolio are also selected each year for detailed financial spot audit checks and technical checks through mid-term reviews which are more in-depth investigations into project performance.

All reports and information about projects are available on the relevant fund websites:

• https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/project-search/
• https://darwinplus.org.uk/project-search/
• https://iwt.challengefund.org.uk/project-search/

In 2020, an external evaluation of the BCF was carried out. The scope of this evaluation included all projects since the beginning of the schemes across all countries and territories of operation. Across the three BCF, the evaluation found that, overall, projects made significant contributions to reducing threats to biodiversity loss and enhancing the protection of biodiverse ecosystems. The full report is available at: https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/assets/uploads/FinalReport_Publishable.pdf.

The Biodiversity Challenge Funds (BCF) include the Darwin Initiative, Darwin Plus and the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which support a series of projects under distinct funding rounds.

All grants under these schemes report on effectiveness through a combination of half-year, annual and final reports. These reports are assessed by an independent specialist. A sample of projects across the portfolio are also selected each year for detailed financial spot audit checks and technical checks through mid-term reviews which are more in-depth investigations into project performance.

All reports and information about projects are available on the relevant fund websites:

• https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/project-search/
• https://darwinplus.org.uk/project-search/
• https://iwt.challengefund.org.uk/project-search/

In 2020, an external evaluation of the BCF was carried out. The scope of this evaluation included all projects since the beginning of the schemes across all countries and territories of operation. Across the three BCF, the evaluation found that, overall, projects made significant contributions to reducing threats to biodiversity loss and enhancing the protection of biodiverse ecosystems. The full report is available at: https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/assets/uploads/FinalReport_Publishable.pdf.

The Biodiversity Challenge Funds (BCF) include the Darwin Initiative, Darwin Plus and the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which support a series of projects under distinct funding rounds.

All grants under these schemes report on effectiveness through a combination of half-year, annual and final reports. These reports are assessed by an independent specialist. A sample of projects across the portfolio are also selected each year for detailed financial spot audit checks and technical checks through mid-term reviews which are more in-depth investigations into project performance.

All reports and information about projects are available on the relevant fund websites:

• https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/project-search/
• https://darwinplus.org.uk/project-search/
• https://iwt.challengefund.org.uk/project-search/

In 2020, an external evaluation of the BCF was carried out. The scope of this evaluation included all projects since the beginning of the schemes across all countries and territories of operation. Across the three BCF, the evaluation found that, overall, projects made significant contributions to reducing threats to biodiversity loss and enhancing the protection of biodiverse ecosystems. The full report is available at: https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/assets/uploads/FinalReport_Publishable.pdf.

The Biodiversity Challenge Funds (BCF) include the Darwin Initiative, Darwin Plus and the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which support a series of projects under distinct funding rounds.

All grants under these schemes report on effectiveness through a combination of half-year, annual and final reports. These reports are assessed by an independent specialist. A sample of projects across the portfolio are also selected each year for detailed financial spot audit checks and technical checks through mid-term reviews which are more in-depth investigations into project performance.

All reports and information about projects are available on the relevant fund websites:

• https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/project-search/
• https://darwinplus.org.uk/project-search/
• https://iwt.challengefund.org.uk/project-search/

In 2020, an external evaluation of the BCF was carried out. The scope of this evaluation included all projects since the beginning of the schemes across all countries and territories of operation. Across the three BCF, the evaluation found that, overall, projects made significant contributions to reducing threats to biodiversity loss and enhancing the protection of biodiverse ecosystems. The full report is available at: https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/assets/uploads/FinalReport_Publishable.pdf.

The Biodiversity Challenge Funds (BCF) include the Darwin Initiative, Darwin Plus and the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which support a series of projects under distinct funding rounds.

All grants under these schemes report on effectiveness through a combination of half-year, annual and final reports. These reports are assessed by an independent specialist. A sample of projects across the portfolio are also selected each year for detailed financial spot audit checks and technical checks through mid-term reviews which are more in-depth investigations into project performance.

All reports and information about projects are available on the relevant fund websites:

• https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/project-search/
• https://darwinplus.org.uk/project-search/
• https://iwt.challengefund.org.uk/project-search/

In 2020, an external evaluation of the BCF was carried out. The scope of this evaluation included all projects since the beginning of the schemes across all countries and territories of operation. Across the three BCF, the evaluation found that, overall, projects made significant contributions to reducing threats to biodiversity loss and enhancing the protection of biodiverse ecosystems. The full report is available at: https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/assets/uploads/FinalReport_Publishable.pdf.

The Biodiversity Challenge Funds (BCF) include the Darwin Initiative, Darwin Plus and the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which support a series of projects under distinct funding rounds.

All grants under these schemes report on effectiveness through a combination of half-year, annual and final reports. These reports are assessed by an independent specialist. A sample of projects across the portfolio are also selected each year for detailed financial spot audit checks and technical checks through mid-term reviews which are more in-depth investigations into project performance.

All reports and information about projects are available on the relevant fund websites:

• https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/project-search/
• https://darwinplus.org.uk/project-search/
• https://iwt.challengefund.org.uk/project-search/

In 2020, an external evaluation of the BCF was carried out. The scope of this evaluation included all projects since the beginning of the schemes across all countries and territories of operation. Across the three BCF, the evaluation found that, overall, projects made significant contributions to reducing threats to biodiversity loss and enhancing the protection of biodiverse ecosystems. The full report is available at: https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/assets/uploads/FinalReport_Publishable.pdf.

The requested information on allocation and spend for financial years 2010/11 to 2021/22 is provided in table 1 attached. Specific annual allocations for the Darwin Initiative, Darwin Plus and the Blue Planet Fund over the next five years will be subject to ministerial decisions and any future Spending Review. The Blue Planet Fund has a total anticipated budget of £500 million over at least five years delivered jointly by Defra and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and HM Government has committed to scaling up the Darwin Initiative and Darwin Plus.

Those UK Overseas Territories that are Official Development Assistance eligible are now able to apply for funding via the main Darwin Initiative programme, rather than through the Darwin Plus scheme.

The funding announced by the Prime Minister on 23 September was for the Darwin Initiative, which supports biodiversity projects in developing countries around the world. The Government provides environmental and biodiversity funding to the British Overseas Territories (OTs) through the separate Darwin Plus (DP) fund.

On 10 May 2019, we launched a Call for Evidence on safeguarding the environment in the British OTs. This invited ideas on how the Government can safeguard the OTs’ biodiversity and aims to support the UK’s continued partnership with the OTs in meeting future environmental commitments.

We have received a number of in-depth responses to this Call for Evidence, many of which mention both EU funding and DP. These responses will help inform decisions on future funding for environmental and biodiversity protection in the OTs to be made ahead of the next full Spending Review.

I refer the Hon Lady to the answer given by my Hon Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Environment and Rural Affairs (Rory Stewart MP) on 5 January 2016 (UIN: 20429)

The Darwin Initiative has funded biodiversity projects in developing countries since 1992 and is managed by Defra. Since 2011 it has been co-funded by Defra and the Department for International Development (DFID). The total expenditure on Darwin Initiative projects and running costs since 2010 is as follows:

2010/11 - £6.1 million

2011/12 - £4.3 million

2012/13 - £5.7 million

2013/14 - £6 million

2014/15 - £6.9 million

Darwin Initiative funding from DFID can only be spent on projects which meet Official Development Assistance (ODA) criteria and this ODA expenditure (reported by calendar year) is as follows:

2010 – Zero

2011 - £2.4 million

2012 - £2.4 million

2013 - £3.1 million

2014 - £5.3 million

Defra additionally manages the Overseas Territories Environment and Climate Fund (also known as Darwin Plus) which is co-funded by Defra, DFID and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The total expenditure since it was established in 2012 is as follows:

2013/14 - £720,000

2014/15 - £1.8 million