Getting ahead of the curve: future-proofing our approach to nature-positive

Wildlife populations have plunged 69% since 1970, and the world’s overall biodiversity intactness is estimated to be around 75%, much lower than the 90% threshold scientists consider safe. In fact, the World Economic Forum believes that biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse are among the greatest risks to humanity over the next decade.

But there is hope; we can bend the curve to address biodiversity loss.

In recent years, the global community has increasingly rallied around nature progress. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted by 188 governments at COP15, has become a galvanizing force for a growing political consensus and set the agenda for decades of legislative action.

Meanwhile regulators, investors, and consumers are demanding more accountability and transparency from businesses on their nature impacts. This September saw the launch of the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). The implications of TFND are huge. In addition to reporting on their nature dependencies and impacts, businesses must demonstrate they are taking steps to mitigate nature loss and, ultimately, improve the environments in which they operate.

Likewise, the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which is set to be expanded in the new year, places greater sustainability reporting demands on companies that operate in the EU.

Adapting to a new regulatory and legislative landscape

The TNFD, CSRD and GBF are driving an unprecedented demand for more sophisticated, measurable, and actionable approaches to nature progress as companies seek to get ahead of legislative and regulatory change.

The pace of transformation is only set to increase – faster, perhaps, than many anticipate. As a result, decision-makers will need more sophisticated monitoring tools and access to richer, more meaningful data if they want to avoid disputation to their business.

As the world’s largest commercial provider of eDNA surveys, NatureMetrics has expanded rapidly in response to a growing global demand for robust biodiversity monitoring.

While our mission remains the same, we’re widening our remit to help businesses better adapt to the more rigorous demands of nature progress reporting.

Simply put, we want to empower as many organizations as possible to make the right decisions for nature. That’s why you’ll see an evolution in the services we offer and how we talk about them over the coming months, along with a refreshed visual identity and new website.

Nature Intelligence

NatureMetrics is already on the frontline of understanding and protecting the immense diversity of the world’s ecosystems. From offshore infrastructure to regenerative agriculture, our technology and expertise have helped organizations across 100 countries deliver complex and strategically important projects at scale.

As part of this work, we’ve helped companies like Nestle, EDF and Anglo American, alongside the major conservation organizations like WWF and Fauna & Flora, to future-proof their reporting, reduce nature-related risks and demonstrate nature-positive progress.

Our goal is to take our technology and expertise and build an end-to-end solution that allows our clients to work towards a nature-positive economy. Underpinned by the most robust and scalable monitoring technology available.

We call this approach Nature Intelligence.

Nature intelligence builds on our expertise in eDNA analysis by combining cutting-edge technology with data analytics to empower businesses to make better decisions about nature. It allows companies to quickly translate large volumes of raw ecological data into simple metrics and actionable insights.

Meanwhile, our subscription service provides unrivalled nature insights through an intuitive and accessible platform, bringing nature risk and opportunities to life, and driving better engagement and action across organizations and on the ground.

Importantly, our work with organizations also contributes an enormous wealth of information to local and global research efforts – building a better picture of how biodiversity responds to impacts.

Turning targets into action

Nature loss requires urgent action and bold thinking.

We are all part of an intricate, complex, finely balanced system of life that allows us to survive and thrive. Good intentions and simple compliance are no longer enough. We must move beyond narrative and ambition towards scientific measurement and definitive action.

We cannot afford to take half-measures or make compromises. The TNFD and GBF have set clear goals for change. Now, it’s time to act.

If we are to correct the curve of biodiversity loss, we must bend with it. That’s why we’ve positioned ourselves to support businesses grappling with new nature reporting requirements. By providing better tools and services for our clients, we can drive better outcomes for nature.

We may have a long way to go as we work towards a nature-positive economy. But with the right technology, tools and expertise, we can meet the challenge.