Business needs Nature

Nature and its rich biodiversity form the foundation of prosperity and human well-being. At the same time, we are exploiting our natural capital in an unprecedented way. The crucial question for our future is therefore: How do we achieve a nature-based and nature-positive world? Otherwise, we are running out of time, and the Anthropocene will be the shortest epoch in the history of the Earth. 

It is becoming ever more evident that a fundamental transformation of the relationship between business and nature is inevitable. Commercial activities, from resource extraction to agriculture, contribute substantially to the ongoing destruction of nature. At the same time, the decline and irreversible loss of biodiversity leads to significant business risks. An increasing number of companies and the financial sector are therefore implementing strategies to reduce both their own risks and negative impacts on nature. In doing so, they encounter data gaps, vague metrics, and a lack of coherent and effective regulatory frameworks and regulation.

In the spring of 2022, at a science conference in Berlin, we emphasized important policy actions that should be implemented nationally and internationally to sustain nature. More than 1700 scientists have signed our “Berlin Declaration,” demanding concrete political commitments (www.berliner-erklaerung.eu). 

The aim of our conference is to bring together high-level representatives from science, business, politics, and civil society to address the following key questions: 

·       How are nature and the economy intertwined?

·       What does a nature-positive economy look like?

·       What does business need to do to make a positive contribution to nature by 2030?

·       What is needed to implement good business practices at scale?

·       How can science, politics, and civil society facilitate business action on biodiversity?

Further details on this new cooperation will be announced in a „Frankfurt Declaration“ on the day of the conference.