At SBTN, a core goal is to combat biodiversity loss by guiding companies to protect, regenerate and restore nature, while using natural resources more sustainably.

Our approach addresses some of the primary drivers of biodiversity loss, determined by the IPBES assessment, by reducing negative corporate environmental impacts and increasing positive ones.

Biodiversity considerations are integrated throughout our technical guidance. 

First, biodiversity is incorporated in the initial steps of target-setting: the environmental impact assessment and the prioritization of target setting in locations of critical importance for biodiversity. 

• The materiality screening (Step 1a) uses biological resource use and ecosystem conversion, while the value chain assessment (Step 1b) requires estimation of several biodiversity-related indicators. These indicators include pressures of (terrestrial) ecosystem conversion and sourcing of threatened and trade-regulated species, as well as state of nature indicators such as species extinction risk, species endemism, ecosystem integrity and condition, ecosystem connectivity, NCP, and delineated areas of biodiversity importance. 
• Step 2b uses these biodiversity indicators to inform the location ranking that is itself the basis of the Step 2c prioritization process.

Although the Step 3 Freshwater methods do not explicitly cover biodiversity indicators, biodiversity considerations are embedded within the thresholds that inform the target ambition levels for both the water quantity and quality targets. Namely, the quantity targets ensure the maintenance of environmental flows, and the quality targets ensure the avoidance of eutrophication, both of which incorporate the needs of certain freshwater species and ecosystems.

Our initial land targets also support biodiversity by comprehensively addressing land use change and habitat loss, as well as unsustainable patterns and practices of land use, which are among the primary drivers of biodiversity loss globally. For example:

• Within the Step 3 Land methods, the No Conversion of Natural Ecosystem targets account for ecosystem integrity and condition in the definition of natural lands, and refer to the importance of different regions, such as in the delivery of NCP and the preservation of threatened ecosystems and species when determining the target year. 
• The Land Footprint Reduction targets contribute to biodiversity by increasing the land available to restore natural habitats. 
• The Landscape Engagement targets afford companies the flexibility to propose the most relevant biodiversity indicators for the local context, for example for ecosystem integrity.

Looking ahead

Our strategic focus is on developing further guidance to expand the biodiversity coverage across our target-setting process. This evolution includes expanding our metrics and safeguards to encompass critical issues such as species overexploitation and invasive species, areas where our current methods are evolving based on advancing scientific knowledge. 

We will soon publish a comprehensive overview detailing SBTN’s approach to biodiversity, outlining pathways to integrate new metrics, indicators, and safeguards. Potential pathways include, for example:

• Changes to the methods for Step 1: Assess and Step 2: Interpret & Prioritize will improve the selection and coverage of biodiversity indicators used in the value chain assessment and in the ranking and prioritization processes. Biodiversity will also play a more important role in determining the landscape selection for the Landscape Engagement target and the model selection to support Freshwater target setting.
• The Step 3 Land methods (V2) will embed biodiversity indicators in the thresholds that inform target ambition levels (in the way that the Freshwater methods currently do). Potential indicators include natural vegetation cover and indicators related to soil condition.
• The Step 3 Ocean methods will be the first to cover the pressure category of direct resource extraction. These methods may then be expanded to apply to the terrestrial and freshwater realms.
• Targets mirroring the Landscape Engagement target may be developed soon for both the freshwater and ocean realms. In the medium to long term, SBTN will explore issues such as ecosystem fragmentation and connectivity for both freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems, as well as invasive species, particularly in the freshwater and ocean realms.

The SBTN methods currently available and under development focus on pressure-based targets linked with avoidance and reduction actions. Biodiversity state-based targets, including for species extinction risk and ecosystem integrity and condition, are an area of ongoing exploration and may be developed in the future.