Ahead UN COP16: Over 130 Businesses And Financial Institutions Urge Aggressive Implementation Of Biodiversity Plan

To Heads of State and Government,

With 100 days until the UN Biodiversity COP16 in Colombia, we stand at a pivotal moment. The window to build a thriving, nature-positive, net-zero and equitable economy is rapidly closing. We can change this but only if the public and private sectors urgently scale and accelerate collective efforts to secure ambitious policies and decisive corporate action for nature.

The Biodiversity Plan (Global Biodiversity Framework) is the blueprint to reset our relationship with the natural world. It is essential to tackle the climate crisis and reduce inequality; and the business and finance community must contribute to its rapid implementation. We understand that a healthy planet is the foundation of a resilient business.

We recognize the real risks nature loss is already having and will continue to have to business and livelihoods, through resource scarcity and disrupted supply chains.

Conversely, by addressing nature loss, businesses can unlock significant opportunities. Against this backdrop, we are committed to transforming our operations, value chains, and entire sectors to contribute to a thriving economy that depends on healthy ecosystems.

However, voluntary action alone won’t be enough. We need governments’ immediate leadership to strengthen – not weaken – the policies, incentives and legislation that will drive the necessary business action to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. An enabling environment coupled with regulatory certainty will foster innovation, transform business models, mobilize investment and ensure companies are held accountable for their actions and performance.

This is why today, as a collective of over 130 companies, we urge you to adopt and enforce nature policies and regulations that:

Make sure business and financial actors protect nature and restore degraded ecosystems
Ensure sustainable resource use and management to reduce negative environmental impacts
Value and embed nature in decision-making and disclosure
Align all financial flows to transition to a nature-positive, net zero and equitable economy
Adopt or strengthen ambitious global agreements to address key nature loss challenges

We sign this statement in the spirit of shared partnership and responsibility. Let’s seize the opportunity at COP16 and work together towards a nature-positive and liveable world for all by 2030.

We must turn ambition into action, starting now.