Business for Nature Speaking Points
Updated May 2024
This content can be used by businesses and other organizations interested in advocating for ambitious government policies and business action on nature and supporting the implementation of the Biodiversity Plan (also called the Global Biodiversity Framework).
You do not need to use all these speaking points. Feel free to take what you need for speeches, presentations or articles, sourcing relevant content where appropriate.
The speaking points cover Business for Nature’s key asks and recommendations for the effective implementation of the Biodiversity Plan, both by governments and business and financial institutions.
Some important elements to keep in mind
Having successfully contributed to advocating for a landmark global agreement to safeguard nature and promote a nature-positive economy, we are now focusing our collective attention on the implementation of the Biodiversity Plan and how to scale and speed up business action by strengthening, clarifying and amplifying why and how companies should act now.
We must continue to give courage and comfort to policymakers that leading businesses fully support ambitious policies and regulations for nature and reiterate the critical role business and finance plays in the Biodiversity Plan’s 2030 targets and 2050 goals.
We must also encourage businesses to step up and take action for nature, emphasizing the role of businesses and financial institutions in delivering a nature-positive world by 2030. Governments agreed at COP15 that businesses are central to the achievement of the Biodiversity Plan and we must continue to build on that momentum, in particular by encouraging companies to develop and publish a credible nature strategy as part of our joint global campaign ‘It’s Now for Nature’ .
Creating a nature-positive world must be a joint effort by policymakers and businesses alike. Nature-positive policies to protect, restore and sustainably use nature are key to encouraging businesses to scale and speed up action on nature. At the same time, businesses contributing towards a nature-positive economy will drive policy ambition. These efforts go hand in hand.
Be cautious not to give the impression that solutions are overly complicated and cannot be implemented – which may reduce policymakers’ and business leaders’ comfort in adopting ambitious policy or taking action to have a meaningful impact on nature across operations, supply and value chains. For example, instead of saying “we do not yet have methodologies or metrics”, say “methodologies are already available and are being developed”; instead of saying “we are not sure how this could be implemented”, say “with policies in place, innovation will be boosted, and solutions will be implemented”.
‘It’s Now for Nature’ is a joint global campaign to rally businesses to act on nature.
Main messages:
Now is the time to act for nature. We already have tools, methodologies, and frameworks to make real progress towards nature positive, and standardized frameworks like the Science-based Targets Network (SBTN) guidance and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework.
The science is clear and tells us we need to individually and collectively scale and speed up efforts. With the Biodiversity Plan (also called the Global Biodiversity Framework) adopted in 2022, we now have an ambitious global plan with a mission to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. For political decision-makers and businesses, the focus now must be on the implementation of the goals and targets of the Plan, going from agreement to action on nature.
For the first time in the history of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Biodiversity Plan strongly recognizes the role of non-state actors, including indigenous peoples and local communities as well as businesses and financial institutions.
As laid out in Target 15 of the Biodiversity Plan, business and finance now have the responsibility to assess, and disclose nature-related risks, impacts and dependencies and to commit and transform to contribute to the mission to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.
We count on you to convey these important messages focusing on the fact that voluntary action is not enough and we need to work collectively to find solutions.
Interconnected challenges and opportunities
The interconnected challenges we face, such as the energy and cost of living crises, climate change and pandemics are all related to the fragile state of our planet.
We need to understand that our health, livelihoods, and the resilience of our economies depend on a thriving natural world. While some sectors are particularly dependent on nature – such as agribusinesses relying on healthy soils, pollination, and natural pest control – all companies rely on ecosystem services such as fresh water and clean air.
Nature is our greatest ally in the fight against catastrophic climate breakdown. We will not be able to effectively tackle climate change without protecting, restoring and sustainably using nature. According to the IPCC, the world’s oceans, plants, animals, and soils have absorbed more than half of human-related carbon emissions over the past decades. Research also shows that nature-based solutions, and in particular forest-based actions for mitigating climate change, can provide an important part of the mitigation needed to limit global warming to well below 2°C and therefore play a role in meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement, but should be seen as being complementary to ambitious mitigation targets. And the more carbon dioxide we emit, the less efficient nature becomes at removing it from the atmosphere. The nature and climate crises must therefore be addressed together, urgently.
Business for Nature, a coalition of 100+ influential partner organizations as well as forward-thinking companies, exists to drive credible business action and policy ambition to achieve a nature-positive economy for all by 2030.
With our partners and network of progressive companies, our priorities are to:
1. Provide the courage, comfort, and technical expertise to governments so that they adopt, implement and enforce ambitious policies that help create a nature-positive economy.
2. Scale and speed up business action by strengthening, clarifying and amplifying why and how companies should act now.
A new global deal for nature
At COP15, in December 2022, 195 countries and the European Union adopted the historic Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (The Biodiversity Plan). The Plan is a roadmap for nature action, much like the Paris Agreement is for climate action, with an overall mission to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030.
By adopting 23 action targets for 2030, governments committed to adopt strategies, policies, regulations, or legislation to ensure that the necessary actions are taken by various stakeholders.
As well as a target to protect 30 percent of the world’s land and sea by 2030, the agreement included a recognized role for Indigenous peoples and local communities as guardians of biodiversity and a clear role for the private sector.
Thanks to the support of more than 400 companies and investors to the ‘make it mandatory’ campaign, countries committed in Target 15 to require all large companies and financial institutions to assess and disclose their biodiversity-related risks, impacts and dependencies by 2030.
Many other targets are relevant for businesses, like Target 7 on pollution, Target 8 on minimizing the impacts of climate change, Target 10 on sustainable land use, Target 16 on sustainable consumption, and Target 18 on reforming all environmentally harmful subsidies. Businesses can and should expect changes in legislation and should get ready.
Implications for business
With the adoption of the Biodiversity Plan, it is the first time in a multilateral agreement that governments have been so explicit about what they expect from businesses when tackling nature loss. It also recognizes that businesses play an integral role in protecting, restoring and sustainably using nature.
The unprecedented rate at which we are losing nature presents a significant risk for businesses and livelihoods. For example, over half of the global economy is potentially at risk as a result of the dependence of business on nature and its services.
But the nature crisis is also an opportunity to innovate, transform, and for businesses to contribute to being part of the solution rather than the problem.
The commercial arguments for companies are strong. The World Economic Forum estimates that business models that reverse nature loss could offer opportunities for new products and services worth $10 trillion a year to businesses.
Social norms and expectations of businesses are quickly evolving, with CEOs and boards focusing on long-term resilience and anticipating future regulation and legal frameworks. Businesses need to ask themselves: "How are we contributing to creating a nature-positive economy by 2030?”.
What we want businesses to do now
Now is the time for businesses and financial institutions to scale and speed up actions on their nature-positive journey. Companies and financial institutions can and should contribute to the Nature Positive goal. They must: Assess their material impacts and dependencies; Commit to set science-based targets for nature; Transform their operations and business models and Disclose by publicly reporting material nature-related information by following the recommendations of the Taskforce for Nature-Related Financial Disclosures.
Through ‘It’s Now for Nature’, guidance is also available to help them develop and publish their own nature strategies and which sector-specific priority actions will help contribute towards the nature-positive goal.
It’s Now for Nature
‘It’s Now for Nature’ is a joint global campaign, developed by Business for Nature, a coalition of more than 95 partner organizations, to rally all businesses to act on nature.
Through a Nature Strategy Handbook, the campaign encourages businesses and financial institutions to develop and publish a nature strategy.
This enables them to make a meaningful contribution towards the global goal to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030.
What is the Nature Strategy Handbook?
The Nature Strategy Handbook provides recommendations for all businesses - whether corporates or financial institutions - on how to set a forward-looking nature strategy and where to find useful tools and resources.
It provides a step-by-step guide on how to write a nature strategy, whether that is as a stand-alone document or included in other business, climate or sustainability plans.
It builds on the High-Level Business Actions on Nature: Assess, Commit, Transform and Disclose (ACT-D), to guide companies through each stage of the process with links to useful resources and tools.
The business case
The need for corporate action on nature has never been clearer. New research from GlobeScan reveals nine out of ten experts (91%) from across academia, NGOs, the private sector and policymakers view the state of nature and biodiversity as a catastrophic or alarming issue.
Yet 76% say the private sector is poor in its action to protect nature and biodiversity.
90% of experts also say companies need a public nature strategy backed by the CEO or Board to effectively protect nature and biodiversity.
Research from the World Benchmarking Alliance shows that less than 1% of companies know how much their operations depend on nature
Why should businesses pay attention to the nature crisis?
Impact on the bottom line
Nature underpins every aspect of our society, wellbeing and economy. But natural ecosystems and nature are in crisis. These declines are already disrupting important supply chains, business operations and investments.
Business leadership, ideas and innovation can lead us out of the nature crisis; and this transition is well underway.
Many businesses and financial institutions recognize they cannot sustainably grow their business, or achieve their climate goals, without protecting and restoring nature.
Getting ahead of upcoming regulation
Regulation on corporate nature disclosure is coming. Investors are getting serious about the risks of nature loss. Consumers are demanding sustainable goods and services.
196 countries have committed to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. Within the Biodiversity Plan, large businesses and financial institutions are required to assess and disclose their impacts and dependencies on nature.
What are the benefits for businesses of setting a nature strategy?
Now is the time for every business to create a nature strategy - a roadmap of how a company will contribute to a nature-positive world.
By setting a credible nature strategy and acting ambitiously, businesses can reduce negative impacts, boost business resilience, bring new commercial opportunities, create long-term value and strengthen climate and sustainability goal
First business nature strategies have been accepted into ‘It’s Now for Nature’
On the International for Biological Diversity 22 May, the first batch of nature strategies were published as part of the ‘It’s Now for Nature’ campaign. Among this first group of companies whose nature strategies have been published are British pharmaceutical company GSK and French Luxury goods group Kering. More strategies have been added to the website since and businesses are encouraged to develop and then submit a nature strategy via the campaign website.
By submitting their strategies and joining the campaign, companies demonstrate a forward-looking plan to contribute to a nature-positive world. Together, they show the increasing momentum on corporate nature action.
More business nature strategies are under review and expected to be published as part of the campaign ahead of Biodiversity COP16 in October.
Sector Actions Towards a Nature-Positive Future
For businesses to credibly contribute towards a nature-positive future, it is essential to adopt a sector-specific approach to nature action, recognizing the unique ways different sectors interact with and depend on nature.
Business for Nature, the World Economic Forum and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development have developed guidance for 12 global business sectors.
The sector-specific actions build on the high-level actions businesses should take to credibly help halt and reverse nature loss and contribute to an equitable, nature-positive economy.
All businesses need to Assess, Commit, Transform and Disclose (ACT-D high-level business actions on nature). They should acknowledge the value of nature to their business; assess and measure their impacts and dependencies on nature; set transparent, time-bound, science-based targets; take actions to address their key impacts and dependencies; and publicly disclose performance and other relevant nature-related information.
The typical impacts and dependencies inform the sector-specific priority actions that companies should take to transform their business and meet the ambition they have set out as part of a credible nature strategy.
What we want governments to do now
One of the strongest levers for change is policy ambition. Businesses need to continue to raise their voice to call for ambitious policies and regulations as in turn, this will drive even more business action on the ground. Indeed, voluntary actions are not enough and to scale up actions, governments should put in place regulatory measures that set a level playing field.
We need to work collectively to transform our economic system, so it rewards and recognizes the companies that perform better on environmental and social impacts, alongside financial performance.
Adopt ambitious NBSAPs: Countries are in the process of updating their National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (called NBSAPs) to align their strategies with the targets of the Biodiversity Plan. Business for Nature has developed recommendations for governments to include the role of businesses and financial institutions in these NBSAPs, which provides eight recommendations on how to ensure updated NBSAPs including how businesses and financial institutions will be encouraged, enabled, or required to contribute to the implementation of the Biodiversity Plan. It is crucial leading businesses and governments engage in discussion and dialogue to identify priorities and develop ambitious strategies in line with the targets to ensure that the private sector fully contributes to achieving these targets, and particularly, to ensure that governments provide an enabling environment, together with a robust regulatory framework, for business and finance to take more ambitious actions for nature.
Do not delay the implementation of Target 15: Target 15, which commits governments to require all large companies and financial institutions to assess and disclose their nature-related risks, dependencies and impacts across operations, supply and value chains, and portfolios by 2030 at the latest. This target anticipates further legislation for businesses to reduce their negative impacts and increase positive impacts. Business for Nature has developed recommendations for governments on how to implement Target 15 of the Biodiversity Plan, building on global frameworks such as the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD). This includes making assessment and disclosure mandatory for all large business and financial institutions, as well as building on existing guidance and recognized frameworks to ensure consistency and interoperability of disclosure mechanisms. This will simplify and align processes across jurisdictions and provide regulatory clarity to businesses and financial institutions.
The Science Based Targets Network guidance has already been launched and is available to help companies set science-based targets for nature.
And the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures framework is enabling companies to integrate nature into their decision-making and ensure that they are disclosing the right information to financial institutions and regulators.
Accounting for nature-related risks, impacts and dependencies is vital to provide governments, consumers, investors, and businesses themselves with the information they need to fully understand how their operations, supply and value chains, impact nature.
Although some global frameworks will be fully developed in the coming months, we should not wait to act and transition toward a nature-positive economy. We must not let perfect be the enemy of the good.
Work collectively on implementing Target 18: Target 18 commits governments to reform all environmentally harmful subsidies by redirecting or eliminating them. Many companies receive these subsidies, but reform should incentivize proactive nature-positive actions by companies and governments alike. Business for Nature has released guidance to help governments understand and take action on Target 18.
The new Target 18 guidance outlines the steps governments should take to reform harmful subsidies:
Conduct a national assessment to identify and assess the types and scale of EHS across all policy areas.
Engage stakeholders and raise awareness of the need for EHS reform.
Co-develop and publish a robust EHS reform roadmap.
Reform to ensure a just transition, while retaining or strengthening original social purposes.
Enhance accountability and governance for EHS reform.
Enhance international cooperation and trade agreements.
This cannot be achieved by individual stakeholders alone. Leading businesses can support governments and:
Assess the type and amount of EHS they receive in their direct operations and along supply chains and assess how they depend on it.
Disclose the EHS they receive and how these impact or support the company’s performance.
Commit to EHS reform.
Transform practices by championing EHS reform.
Policy recommendations for effective implementation of the Biodiversity Plan
With less than 100 days until the UN Biodiversity COP16 in October 2024, over 130 businesses with revenues of $1.1 trillion are calling on governments through Business for Nature’s COP16 business statement to strengthen policies that will drive the necessary business action to halt and reverse nature loss this decade.
The statement gives courage and comfort to policymakers that leading businesses fully support ambitious policies and regulations for nature and reiterates the critical role business and finance play in the 2030 targets.
The statement delivers five recommendations to governments on adopting policies that:
Make sure business and financial actors protect nature and restore degraded ecosystems
Ensure sustainable resource use and management to reduce negative environmental impacts
Value and embed nature in decision-making and disclosure
Align all financial flows to transition to a nature-positive, net zero and equitable economy
Adopt or strengthen ambitious global agreements to address key nature loss challenges
Underpinning these five policy recommendations is a complementary set of 20 clear asks developed by Business for Nature, in consultation with partners and leading businesses which show how the level of ambition businesses are calling for could be implemented by governments through the Biodiversity Plan.
These range from banning conversion in key protected areas to transitioning to regenerative farming models and adopting a deep-sea mining moratorium.
If implemented, these policies have the potential to establish a strong enabling environment for business action, by establishing clear regulatory frameworks and incentive mechanisms that would improve corporate accountability and create a level playing field for businesses and financial institutions.
Nature is Everyone’s Business
By 2030, we need to have brought back more nature than we had in 2020. The Biodiversity Plan paves the way for bold, cross-sector collaboration and calls for every part of society to rethink and reset its relationship with nature. No individual government, organization or business can solve the nature crisis in isolation. Complex challenges like this need more, not less, cooperation.
Through the Call to Action, Nature Is Everyone‘s Business, more than 1 400 companies with combined revenues of $5 trillion are urging governments to adopt policies now to reverse nature loss.
While no business can address the crisis alone, every business has its part to play by transforming its operations, shaping nature-positive value and supply chains and advocating for meaningful policy change.
Either we all reach a nature-positive world by 2030, or none of us will. It is the ultimate joint effort for nature and humanity.