Three take-aways to remember from 2021 – the year nature became everyone’s business
As we come to the end of the 2021, it feels extraordinary and humbling that our lives continue to be affected as a result of COVID-19. Even against this backdrop of renewed uncertainty, it’s important to celebrate what we collectively have achieved. For the record, in 2021…
1. Businesses – like all stakeholders – understood they must contribute to a nature-positive economy by 2030.
As the term “nature-positive” took off, many businesses started to realize the material risks of nature loss for their long-term success, taking steps on their nature-positive journey (to dig into this more, see also the Science-Based Targets for Nature initial guidance and interim targets, WBCSD’s guide: What does Nature Positive mean for business and the Get Nature Positive handbook). The growing level of business, policy, and consumer action to achieve a nature-positive, net-zero and equitable world demonstrated an appetite for systems transformation we had not seen before.
However, businesses increasingly recognize voluntary action is not enough to accelerate the transformation of how they operate. Therefore, they are calling for ambitious policies. Business momentum on nature has never been stronger, with more than 1,000 companies signed up to the ‘Nature Is Everyone’s Business’ Call to Action urging governments to adopt policies now to reverse nature loss in this decade.
2. Leading businesses urged policymakers to adopt a transformative agreement on nature.
Leading companies engaged in the UN CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) process and urged policymakers to be more ambitious. They spoke up in the media and directly with policymakers to encourage them to adopt a meaningful Global Biodiversity Framework that includes a clear mission to reverse nature loss by 2030, a clear target for business to embed the value of nature in decision-making and to eliminate or redirect environmentally harmful subsidies.
While the first draft of the Framework published in July was a clear improvement from the previous one (we especially welcomed the recognition of the role of business), alongside other stakeholders, we think it still needs to be strengthened to ensure the adoption of an ambitious and transformative agreement. Take a look at our detailed recommendations.
At the COP15 official opening in October, The Guardian published an open letter signed by 12 CEOs from leading companies to Heads of State committing to ensure their business strategies, goals and targets would become compliant with a nature-positive world and calling for an ambitious and actionable Framework.
Join the movement by continuing to share content from our digital toolkit in the lead-up to COP15 next year.
CBD postponement what happens next?
The CBD Open Ended Working Group meetings planned for January have been postponed. This also means that COP15 Part 2 that was scheduled for the 25 April – 8 May 2022 is likely to be rescheduled although nothing is yet announced. Please express your interest in joining our delegation once new dates are confirmed. In the meantime, do keep an eye out for Business for Nature’s updated position early next year.
3. Nature was at the heart of climate conversations.
COP26 was a critical moment for the world. While the level of climate ambition was encouraging, it will not be enough to keep 1.5C within reach and countries will return to the negotiating table next year. Nature, however, was placed firmly on the climate agenda with several mentions in the final text of the Glasgow Climate Pact and the value of high-quality Nature-based Solutions being recognized. Read our COP26 highlights story.
Nature loss and climate change are two sides of the same planetary coin. Working with our partners like We Mean Business and WWF, we developed integrated climate-nature policy asks from business as well as nine business case studies we launched on Nature Day at COP26.
Wherever you are in the world, we hope you can rest and re-energize before (yet another!) critical year for nature and look forward to reconnecting next year.
Warm regards,
Eva Zabey
Executive Director– Business for Nature
