6 September – Today, 27 of the world’s largest nature conservation organizations, institutes, business and finance coalitions, including Capitals Coalition, have come together to launch a new initiative aimed at driving 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 newly-announced Nature Positive Initiative, which will open soon for more partners, represents the second phase of work that commenced in 2019, with the development of nature positive by 2030 as the global goal for nature – equivalent to the 1.5C goal that exists for climate.
“Nature underpins the success of businesses, nations, and global financial markets, as well as the wealth, health, and happiness of all people. The Kunming-Montreal agreement was a truly historic moment which placed the value of nature at the heart of the international agenda and embedded the role of business in contributing to reversing biodiversity loss for the first time.
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.”
Mark Gough, CEO, Capitals Coalition
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. In December 2022, the goal of halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 was codified in the mission of the landmark Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Its adoption under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity has been described as the ‘Paris moment’ for nature.
At the same time, use of the term ‘nature positive’ has grown without a clear and aligned understanding among business, finance, government and civil society actors about what the phrase represents and does not represent. Ensuring clarity and preserving the integrity of the definition is now a priority to ensure the necessary actions and accountability.
The new initiative’s overall 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.
Core work will include preserving the integrity of ‘nature positive’ as a measurable 2030 global goal for nature for businesses, financial institutions, governments at all levels, and other stakeholders. With nature-positive ambition already receiving strong support from first movers, a priority will be supporting the 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 Global Biodiversity Framework by governments and other stakeholders.
The organizations and coalitions launching the Nature Positive Initiative (NPI) include African Natural Capital Alliance, BirdLife International, Business for Nature, Campaign for Nature, Capitals Coalition, Conservation International, Global Commons Alliance, Global Reporting Initiative, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, Indigenous Information Network, IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), Nature Positive Universities / University of Oxford, Nature4Climate, NatureFinance, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Principles for Responsible Investment, Science Based Targets Network, Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, The Nature Conservancy, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Wildlife Conservation Society, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, World Resources Institute, and WWF International.
This core group of organizations will be tasked with setting the NPI’s strategic direction, policy positions, and joint activities. They will also be responsible for 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.A NPI Partnership will be launched in the coming weeks and will be open to all relevant institutions and organizations who want to support and implement the global goal for nature, by pledging their support.
For further information on the Nature Positive Initiative, please contact naturepositiveinitiative@gmail.com.
