Business for Nature’s statement at the Biodiversity PreCOP
Business for Nature was invited to participate in the Biodiversity Pre-Conference of the Parties hosted by the Government of Colombia.
Our Executive Director, Eva Zabey, delivered the statement below.
Distinguished delegates,
Why are we here today?
We are here because we are all part of the race to halt and reverse nature loss. We are racing for ourselves, for healthy societies, and for future generations.
There will be no prosperity, no jobs and no economic activity on a dead planet. Quite simply, every business, every financial bottom-line, ultimately depends on a healthy planet.
Yet nature is at a tipping point and time is against us.
The race is on to reverse nature loss by 2030.
In a race, you need a finish line. In a race, you need rules. Today we are in a race with no clear finish line and no clear rules.
I lead the Business for Nature coalition. Every day we talk to companies. They typically ask two questions: 1. What can we do? And 2. What is the 1.5 degree equivalent for nature? What is the finish line?
We can answer the first question on what business can – and should – do right now. Companies are starting to realize that to succeed, they must transform: from being part of the problem to being part of the solution. They need to measure and value their most material impacts and dependencies on land, water, oceans, biodiversity. Then, informed by science, they need to commit and act to protect, restore and sustainably use natural resources while tackling the joint emergencies of climate change and social inequality at the same time.
Today, we need world leaders to answer the second question: what is the finish line? What is the global goal for nature that we should be contributing to?
The mission of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework must provide this clear finish line: By 2030, we must reverse nature loss. The current draft mission of the Framework is too vague and will not be sufficient to drive the urgent action needed by all of us.
As I mentioned, in a race, you also need rules.
What is acceptable and what is not?
As world leaders, I’m sure you want business and finance to scale and speed up action. For that you need to set clear rules that will provide the political certainty and regulatory imperative for them to innovate, invest and transform their business models.
The Post-2020 Framework’s goals and targets must be the rules. Eliminating and redirecting all harmful subsidies; aligning all financial flows to a nature positive world; embedding the value of nature in all decision making and disclosure; and ensuring consumption and production footprints are within planetary boundaries.
Business for Nature has rallied nearly 1000 companies that are urging governments to set those rules: to adopt policies now to reverse nature loss by 2030.
Without a clear finish line or clear rules, there will be no race. But this isn’t a traditional race, because we are all in the same team. We either all win or we all fail.
Please don’t get me wrong. We have seen great improvements in draft 1 of the Framework. We welcome target 15 on the role of business and the stronger acknowledgment of the need to value and embed nature in all decision-making. But as we have suggested in our detailed position, the ambition and implementation mechanism must be strengthened.
You are the world leaders. You set the finish line. You set the rules. Please don’t create a CBD bubble. Instead, adopt a Framework that is meaningful, understandable and actionable by everyone, including business, so that we can all participate in the most important race of our generation, the race to a nature-positive, net-zero and equitable world.
Thank you.
Eva Zabey
Executive Director