Dimension and impact of biases in funding for species and habitat conservation

Taxonomic and aesthetic biases permeate biodiversity conservation. We used the LIFE program—the European Union's funding scheme for the environment—to explore the economic dimension of biases in species- and habitat-level conservation. Between 1992 and 2020, animal species received three times more funding than plants. Within plants, species at northern latitudes, with broader ranges, and with blue/purple flowers received more funds regardless of their extinction risk. Conversely, species online popularity was only weakly positively associated with conservation expenditure. At the habitat-level, we found no relationship between expenditure and conservation status of the habitat. Our results can inform ways forward to achieve conservation goals that are comprehensive, sustainable, and cost-effective.