Biodiversity: the complex web of organisms across diverse ecosystems that underpins everything from the food we eat to the climate we live with. Biodiversity is nature itself, and it supports upward of $44 trillion in economic value annually. Yet investments in nature barely represent 0.10% of global GDP, and with humankind’s long history of drawing down natural assets, it should be no surprise that biodiversity is now on the brink of collapse. It is a critical concern for all investors: a disrupted planet means disrupted companies, economies and societies.
In fact, 84% of investors recently surveyed said they are very concerned about biodiversity loss, although fewer than 1 in 10 currently have measurable biodiversity-linked targets. The good news is that the scientific, corporate and investment communities have a live-action model to draw on: tackling climate change. The parallels are obvious, and success in turning the tide for biodiversity similarly relies on immediate shifts in approach and collective action, not on waiting for a silver-bullet breakthrough.
Investment leaders at every position in the capital stack have a chance to move on this, but it is not without challenges:
- How do we account for the real-world cost that goods and services have on nature?
- How can investors understand the risk biodiversity loss could bring to investments across all asset classes?
- What standards are in play and how developed are they?
- What actions can investors and asset managers take in the meantime?
- Which sectors and opportunities have near-term, sufficiently scaled opportunities to combat biodiversity loss?
Join a pragmatic but ambitious discussion among leaders in finance, sustainability and natural capital to learn what’s being done to accelerate the transformation of mainstream finance and better account for biodiversity’s contribution to health and economic wellbeing for all.
