Groundbreaking Metrics to Measure Nature's Recovery

We're getting closer to consensus on how we will measure progress towards a nature-positive future. On 8 October 2024, at the Nature Positive Summit in Sydney, the Nature Positive Initiative (NPI) launched a consultation on a proposed set of standardised 'State of Nature Metrics'.?

The Importance of These Metrics?

The ongoing decline of nature poses a significant challenge to global economic stability and human welfare. Until now, we've lacked a common approach to measure nature's decline or recovery. This absence of standardised metrics has presented a considerable challenge for organisations and has hindered action. Consider this: only 5% of Fortune Global 500 companies have developed targets to address their impacts on biodiversity.?

The 'State of Nature Metrics' aim to address this by providing a universal approach to measuring the state of nature. This has the potential to change how businesses, financial institutions, and other key stakeholders take action and report on nature-positive outcomes.?

The Four Universal and Five Case-Specific Indicators?

?The proposed metrics framework is organised around four universal indicators that should be measured by all users:?

1. Ecosystem extent?
2. Ecosystem condition?
3. Landscape intactness?
4. Species extinction risk?

These are complemented by five additional case-specific indicators that are triggered under triggered under certain conditions, such as the presence of threatened species or ecosystems, operating within an intensive land-use biome, or interacting with key biodiversity areas or other priority locations:?

1. Extent of highly threatened or high local value ecosystems?
2. Condition of highly threatened or high Local value ecosystems?
3. Proportion of natural or semi-natural habitat?
4. Condition of semi-natural habitat?
5. Species population abundance?

?These indicators have been carefully selected to provide a comprehensive yet practical framework for assessing the overall state of nature. The framework provides a consistent, universal baseline for biodiversity measurement, with flexibility to address more sensitive or critical biodiversity features with the additional attention and precision they require.?

?Integration with Existing Frameworks?

?A key feature of these metrics is their compatibility with existing measurement frameworks. They're designed to integrate with:?

Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)?

Science Based Targets Network (SBTN)?

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)?

Moreover, they will support companies in meeting upcoming obligations for reporting against the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).?

?A Collaborative Effort?

?The development of these metrics involved an extensive six-month stakeholder engagement program, with support from 安永 and The Biodiversity Consultancy Ltd , involving over 100 organisations.??

The process was thorough, distilling more than 600 existing metrics into a robust, credible, and practical set for widespread adoption. This level of engagement and refinement suggests that these metrics will be both scientifically sound and practically applicable in real-world scenarios.?

The Potential Impact?

As I mentioned at the launch, "These metrics represent a significant step forward." The impact of gaining consensus on measuring nature loss and recovery could be substantial. Once we have agreement, we will have a guide to direct our collective efforts towards verifiable, nature-positive outcomes.?

These metrics could help unlock the capital that is vital for progress towards a truly sustainable world. By providing a standardised framework, businesses will be better equipped to offer the transparency and accountability necessary to protect the health of our planet and the stability of our global economy.?

The Road Ahead?

The online consultation for these metrics runs until early November 2024. It's an open invitation to businesses, financial institutions, regulators, assurance providers, policymakers, scientists, academics, and indigenous people and local communities to help shape the future of biodiversity measurement.?

I encourage all stakeholders to participate in this consultation. Your input can help ensure that these metrics are not only scientifically robust but also practical and applicable across various sectors and contexts.?

A Call to Action?

Given UN CBD COP16 is taking place in Colombia in October 2024, the launch of these metrics is timely. They offer a practical solution to measure progress towards the global goal of halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030, as agreed in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.?

For any organisation serious about nature and concerned about its long-term viability and risk management, adopting these metrics to inform their actions will be important. This is our opportunity to move beyond slogans and towards measurable, actionable goals for a nature-positive future.?

The launch of these 'State of Nature Metrics' represents an important milestone in our journey towards a nature-positive world. It's a testament to what we can achieve when we collaborate across sectors and borders. As we move forward, let's take this opportunity to drive meaningful change, measure our progress accurately, and work together towards a future where nature and business thrive in harmony.?

I invite you all to join this conversation. Together, we can build a nature-positive future that benefits both our planet and our economies.?

?#NaturePositive #StateofNatureMetrics #Metrics?

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