CEBDS and associated companies collaborated with the Brazilian government in preparing proposals for the Global Biodiversity Framework
More than half of global GDP is moderately or highly dependent on nature and its ecosystem services. This means that US$ 44 trillion in economic value generation is exposed to risks of nature loss. The lack of internationally standardized methods for measuring and quantifying impacts and measuring business dependencies on nature is one of the biggest challenges faced by businesses when managing biodiversity, as well as investing in its preservation and regeneration. To discuss topics such as these, related to the implementation of accurate indicators for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the 26th Meeting of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) of the Convention on Diversity will be held Biological (CDB), in Nairobi, Kenya, between the 13th and 18th of May. The results of the discussions will be taken to COP16, which will take place in Cali, Colombia, in October.
The Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS) advocates the construction of clear indicators and objectives that are scientifically well-established and internationally recognized, as well as an effective monitoring system to fill the current investment gap to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 , an objective agreed upon by almost 200 countries, including Brazil, which signed the Kunming-Montreal Agreement. Therefore, it will represent the production sector at the event.
To halt the decline in global biodiversity by 2030, the volume of annual investments must grow substantially, which requires significant participation from the private sector. But, to achieve this, it is necessary to increase the level of transparency in relation to impacts and dependencies on nature.
The Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) defines goals, parameters and standards to reduce damage to nature caused by human activity. For experts, the text is equivalent in importance to the Paris Agreement – which establishes global objectives to combat climate change. Each country must internalize its national goals for implementing the new agreement through its National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (EPANB).
The GBF and some of the goals it presents are part of the priority themes for the CEBDS, which will be one of the few private sector organizations that will follow all discussions with government participation at the SBSTTA event. Since last year, CEBDS has been promoting a series of debates with member companies to contribute with recommendations for the implementation of the Global Framework in Brazil, having engaged 63 companies in these discussions, representatives from different sectors of the economy.
The business sector has offered subsidies to support the Brazilian government in national and international discussions linked to the implementation of the Framework, and generated proposals that will be presented in Nairobi. The objective of the business sector is to provide companies with metrics that contribute to the measurement and reporting of their impact and dependence on nature and, with a greater wealth of data, it is possible to increase the financing still needed. In this sense, the main target of the Global Framework for companies is 15, which determines that companies, including financial institutions, assess and report their risks, impacts and dependence on biodiversity.
“The participation of the business sector in discussions on the Global Biodiversity Framework is fundamental to leveraging the biodiversity agenda in Brazil and the world. The business sector, which has target 15 as a major challenge, can be a relevant partner in the construction and implementation of biodiversity conservation strategies and plans in the country. CEBDS, as an institution that brings together the business sector, has contributed a lot to this journey”, assesses Moara Morasche, co-leader of the Technical Chamber of Biodiversity and Biotechnology (CT Bio) from CEBDS and which works on Eletrobras' Climate and Biodiversity Strategy.
Vanessa Pereira, coordinator of Biodiversity and Biotechnology at CEBDS, will present the contributions of the business sector to the implementation of national goals and their recommendations, focusing on goal 15, at the CBD side event “Advances and innovations in the construction of National Strategy and Action Plans for Biodiversity in Brazil, Peru and Colombia”, which will take place on the 14th, during SBSTTA. The event will be moderated by Bráulio Dias, Director of Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and will feature presentations from the governments of Colombia and Peru, as well as Conservation International and TNC.
CEBDS will also hold a parallel event in partnership with TNC and WWF, on the 14th, focused on the critical funding gap in biodiversity conservation and the relationship with climate.
Business Sector Recommendations
Between the recommendations delivered to the government and which will be presented during the SBSTTA are the creation of a Three-Phase Execution Plan for the implementation of Goal 15, which includes mapping large companies that have a sustainability report and investment in training; establish parameters for reporting; and achieve the objective of the new Framework with potential progress on Target 15.
“CEBDS has acted actively in the last three years in the construction of the new Framework and in supporting the CBD negotiations, engaging the Brazilian business sector and society in this process with the aim of promoting the construction of an ambitious and transformative global agreement, with a focus on generation of net positive impact on biodiversity. We understand that all goals are integrated and are fundamental to achieving the objectives of the new Framework”, highlights the director of Nature and Society at CEBDS, Juliana Lopes.
For Vale's Biodiversity Specialist Analyst and co-leader of CT Bio at CEBDS, Leticia Guimarães, “the engagement of the private sector in discussions about the global agenda is of great importance and CEBDS has sought to increasingly expand these spaces and opportunities. We have target 15 aimed at large companies, but we can and should also participate in discussions and contributions to the entire agenda. We will only be able to achieve our goals if we work together, with all sectors of society engaged in the pursuit of a common objective – reversing losses and seeking a positive future for nature.”
