Nature Positive Initiative Aims to Promote Alignment, Integrity in Race to Save Global Biodiversity

27 of the world’s largest nature-conservation organizations, institutes,
business and finance coalitions have come together to launch a new initiative to
drive alignment around the definition, integrity and use of the term ‘nature positive’
and supporting broader, longer-term efforts to deliver nature-positive outcomes.

‘Nature positive by 2030’
refers to halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 from a 2020 baseline
through measurable gains in the health, abundance, diversity and resilience of
species, ecosystems and natural processes.

The new Nature Positive Initiative (NPI),
which will open soon for more partners, represents the second phase of work that
commenced in 2019 — and progressed when the 2022 COP15 conference culminated
with the landmark Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, equivalent to the 1.5°C goal that
exists for climate.

Since then, governments,
business
and civil society have rallied behind the ambition inherent in a nature-positive
approach. Calls for action have grown stronger — with reversing biodiversity
loss recognized as critical to combating the global climate crisis, preventing
future pandemics of zoonotic origin, addressing water and food insecurity,
supporting sustainable and equitable
development,
and recognizing and addressing the rights and contributions of Indigenous
Peoples.

“The Nature Positive Initiative provides a needed, collective focal point to
make good on the landmark Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and
drive the kind of ambitious action necessary for people to thrive across the
world,” says Ani Dasgupta,
President and CEO of NPI member World Resources
Institute. “Enduring solutions for the biodiversity and
climate crisis will only succeed if they create economic opportunity and build
a foundation of
equity.
WRI is pleased to be a part of the Nature Positive Initiative — which is
well-positioned to bring the many players and pieces together and support real
solutions that uplift people, nature and climate.”

As the imperative for action around restoring critical
biodiversity
has become clear, use of the term ‘nature positive’ has grown without a clear
and aligned understanding about what the phrase means. Ensuring clarity and
preserving the integrity of the definition is now a priority to ensure the
necessary actions and accountability.

“To end and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, we must be determined and
aligned: nonprofit organizations partnering with for-profit businesses,
governments working in lockstep with civil society,” says Dr. M.
Sanjayan, CEO of NPI member
Conservation International. “The Nature
Positive Initiative creates cohesion to collectively drive impact at scale and
protect nature for the sake of our ecosystems, our climate and ourselves.
Conservation International is delighted to be part of this coalition.”

The NPI’s goal is to drive alignment and synergies across a multitude of actors
who will advocate, support and implement actions towards a nature-positive
outcome of halting and reversing nature loss by 2030. Founding NPI members also
include African Natural Capital
Alliance,
Capitals Coalition, Global Reporting
Initiative,
Indigenous Information Network, Nature
Positive Universities / University of
Oxford,
NatureFinance, Principles for Responsible
Investment, Science Based Targets
Network (SBTN), Taskforce on Nature-related
Financial
Disclosures,
WBCSD
and WWF International.

This core group of organizations will be tasked with setting the NPI’s strategic
direction, policy positions and joint activities; as well as convening, liaising
with, and coordinating the active engagement of a much broader and inclusive
constituency of partner organizations to ensure all stakeholders’ views are
considered and to help support efforts to deliver nature-positive outcomes
across society.

Image credit: NPI

Core work will include preserving the integrity of ‘nature positive’ as a
measurable 2030 global goal for nature for
businesses,
financial
institutions,
governments and other stakeholders. With nature-positive ambition already
receiving strong support from first movers, a priority will be rollout of the
common definition, metrics, and standardized
tools
and practices that enable all to appropriately measure and report on their
impact and contributions at the actor level. The initiative will also advocate
for and support the full implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Framework by
governments and other stakeholders.

In May, the SBTN launched the first
science-based targets for
nature
— aiming to setting the global standard for measurable corporate action to
protect nature. The much-needed guidance — which SBTN began developing in
2020
— complement existing guidance for climate targets by allowing companies to take
holistic action to address their impacts in the face of mounting environmental
and social crises.

“Nature positive is an essential, whole-of-society goal. Science Based
Targets Network’s focus on equipping companies with the guidance to set
measurable, actionable and time-bound targets to do their part for this
collective goal is a contribution we look forward to bringing to the Nature
Positive Initiative,” says SBTN Executive Director Erin
Billman. “The NPI is a
critical collaboration for ensuring speed, scale, alignment and integrity of
nature-positive implementation.”

“Nature underpins the success of businesses, nations and global financial
markets; as well as the wealth, health, and happiness of all people,” says
Capitals Coalition CEO Mark Gough. “As
we move into this next stage of implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework,
we need united action from across society. The Nature Positive Initiative will
provide a platform for convergence to support the Global Goal for Nature, paving
the way for the transformation we need in our economic systems to achieve a
nature-positive world.”

A NPI Partnership will be launched in the coming weeks and open to all
relevant institutions and organizations that pledge to support and implement the
global goal for nature. For further information, please contact
[email protected].