New Metrics Collaboration & Co-Creation

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

The NPI will clarify and standardize the term ‘nature positive;’ and drive synergies across the many actors supporting and implementing changes towards the goal of halting and reversing nature loss by 2030.

Published 1 year ago | About a 5 minute read

Image: Julia Volk

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].