Nature Positive Initiative

The IEF has endorsed the Nature Positive Initiative to protect biodiversity.

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.

Delivering the Nature Positive goal requires measurable net-positive biodiversity outcomes through the improvement in the abundance, diversity, integrity and resilience of species, ecosystems and natural processes. The Nature Positive goal is designed to drive society to deliver a measurable absolute improvement in the state of nature against a defined baseline, which will in turn improve nature’s ability to contribute to human wellbeing.

How can Nature Positive be measured?

Three key categories of metrics have been developed by which to measure nature-positive contributions and outcomes. They are retaining and restoring 1) species, 2) ecosystems, and 3) natural processes at all scales (global, national and landscape level). Examples of these metrics include richness, distribution, abundance and extinction risk of species, extent and ecological integrity of habitat, hydrological integrity, migration patterns, and carbon sequestration and storage. Further guidance on measuring the Nature Positive goal is in preparation by the Nature Positive Initiative.

Central to the definition of Nature Positive is that we ‘protect what is left and improve the rest’. While some losses will be unavoidable, we do need to secure the most significant areas for biodiversity, and to limit and compensate for other losses according to the mitigation and conservation hierarchy approach. Concern has been raised regarding the use of ‘net’ principle. Some safeguarding principles for net-positive (net- gain) outcomes have already been developed and will be soon further discussed and refined by the Nature Positive Initiative.

Why and how was Nature Positive developed?

The evidence has never been clearer. The impacts of climate change and an unfolding biodiversity crisis on humanity are profound and will not be felt equally. Humanity cannot thrive in the decades to come while we are surpassing planetary boundaries.

Since December 2019, a group of CEOs from Environmental Organizations, Sustainable Business Platforms and Research Institutions have been convening to identify and advocate for an ambitious, science-based and measurable global goal for nature, and for this goal to be adopted internationally. The lack of a clear and measurable goal for addressing the nature loss crisis was a major obstacle to aligning on ambition, driving action and increasing accountability. The group recognized the need for an overarching goal that could have the same impact as and which would mutually reinforce both the Paris Agreement goal of 1.5 degrees (and the net zero emissions pathway to it) and the equity-oriented Sustainable Development Goals. This includes recognition that neither of those other vital global agendas can be met without also halting and reversing nature loss by 2030. Nature Positive is by default therefore also People Positive, since a healthy environment is only possible to achieve through social inclusion and equity, while providing social benefits for all people.

In December 2022, the UN CBD COP 15 adopted a Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) whose mission is to ‘halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030’, and by 2050, biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and widely used, maintaining ecosystems services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people’, which is consistent with the Nature Positive goal.

Applying the Nature Positive goal

Nature positive is a global and societal goal. Individual entities, geographies and countries can and must demonstrate their sufficient contribution to a global nature-positive outcome. In operationalizing Nature Positive, tackling drivers and the negative and positive impacts is central.

Companies and financial institutions can contribute to the Nature Positive goal by taking these high-level actions: Assess their material impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities; shift their business strategy and models; commit to science-based targets for nature; report their nature-related issues to investors and other stakeholders; transform by avoiding and reducing negative impacts, restoring, and regenerating nature; collaborate across land, seascapes and river basins; and advocate to governments for policy ambition.

For national and local governments, ensuring nature-positive outcomes by 2030 requires the adoption and implementation of holistic plans across scales, supported by enabling regulations.

Driving alignment and developing further guidance

Nature Positive creates an opportunity for all stakeholders - governments, businesses, Indigenous Peoples, science, civil society - to work creatively and collaboratively to halt and reverse nature loss.

More clarity is needed for different kinds of market participants to ensure all are contributing proportionately to securing a nature-positive world. The Nature Positive Initiative has therefore been launched with an initial diverse group of founding organizations who aim to drive alignment around the definition, integrity and use of the term ‘nature positive’, to develop the necessary guidance, and to catalyze a broader and more diverse community committed to the longer-term effort of delivering a nature-positive future.

For more information see https://www.naturepositive.org