Nature Positive
Guided by targets, companies take action that contribute to nature positive outcomes so nature, people and business can thrive.
“Nature Positive is a global societal goal defined as ‘Halt and Reverse Nature Loss by 2030 on a 2020 baseline, and achieve full recovery by 2050’. To put this more simply, it means ensuring more nature in the world in 2030 than in 2020 and continued recovery after that.” – Nature Positive Initiative
Seen or unseen, every company puts pressure on nature. Indeed, all industry sectors have a portion of their direct operations or supply chain that is highly dependent on nature and more than half of global GDP is moderately or highly dependent on nature more—equivalent to an estimated US$58 trillion (source: PWC).
No one is saying that stewardship of the natural world is the sole responsibility of business. But companies can—and should—play a leading role in driving the required system-level change. As well as filling in the gaps left by state-level commitments, companies’ voluntary actions toward societal sustainability goals also drive governmental action for nature through positive “ambition loops”.
Science-based targets facilitate this action by taking direct aim at the priority drivers and pressures on nature.
Tackling the drivers of nature loss
At SBTN, our core mandate is to develop methods, guidance, and tools so that companies can manage their negative contributions to nature loss, and contribute positively to a nature-positive, net-zero, and equitable future.
Drawing from the leading edge of nature and biodiversity science, we understand the key drivers of nature loss (i.e. pressures) as: ecosystem use and use change, resource over exploitation, invasive alien species, climate change and pollution. These are the drivers that science-based targets for nature address through mitigatory action in order to reverse the loss of nature, and “bend the curve” to attain nature positive levels that continue to support healthy communities and thriving economies.
Thriving nature, people and business
Transformation of companies’ relationship with nature should begin by avoiding and reducing pressures on nature. For instance, avoiding and reducing the conversion of forests into farmland and wetlands into urban jungles, the emission of greenhouse gases, the extraction of resources at rates beyond nature’s ability to replenish and recover, and the pollution of waterways and oceans. Over time, a nature positive approach can also help restore ecosystems and regenerate natural capital stocks, enabling the system to transform into a new state.
By setting targets now, companies can begin to turn emerging risks into opportunities for their business, while boosting the long-term health of the natural resources they rely upon.
Nature positive can be the basis for a new business model built on regeneration, resilience, and recirculation instead of destruction and pollution.
For more information, see the SBTN article “Nature positive – an opportunity to get it right”.
