An alliance of conservation organisations, institutes, and business and finance coalitions has launched an initiative aimed at improving understanding of the term ‘nature positive’ and supporting longer-term efforts to deliver nature-positive outcomes. According to the Nature Positive Initiative, ‘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 goal of halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 was codified in the mission of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) last December. “Ensuring clarity and preserving the integrity of the definition is now a priority to ensure the necessary actions and accountability,” it said in a statement. Founding members include the African Natural Capital Alliance, Global Reporting Initiative, NatureFinance, Principles for Responsible Investment, Science Based Targets Network, Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, and the World Resources Institute. Separately, the Network for the Greening of the Financial System has published the beta version of its Conceptual Framework for Nature-related Financial Risks to help align the policies of central banks and financial markets supervisors with the GBF. The NGFS said it hoped to create a common science-based understanding of, and language for, nature-related financial risks to help members navigate complexities and challenges collectively. “The degradation of nature, and actions aimed at preserving and restoring it, can have material macroeconomic, macroprudential, and microprudential consequences,” said the NGFS. The framework was developed by the NGFS’ task force on biodiversity loss and nature-related risks, established to help mainstream the consideration of nature-related financial risks. The framework takes an integrated approach, with climate-related financial risks considered within the scope of nature-related financial risks. “While climate change may be the starting point for action, science also tells us that broader nature-related risks cannot be analysed or addressed in isolation,” it said. The framework also contains a principle-based risk assessment framework to help operationalise that conceptual understanding.
