In December 2022, 196 parties agreed on the landmark Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). Just like the Paris Agreement, the GBF is expected to influence national policymaking and accelerate business action on nature. Businesses, financial institutions, and governments all have a role to play in the transition to nature positive. While the guidance continues to evolve, the urgency of the nature crisis requires businesses to act now and “learn by doing”.

Businesses can take actions on nature now

Nature is the foundation of the global economy. Over half the world’s GDP – $44 trillion – is moderately or highly dependent on nature and its services. Despite this dependency, businesses in all sectors and geographies have negative impacts on nature, causing it to degrade faster than it can regenerate. With the case for business action on nature becoming increasingly clear, the focus is now shifting to how corporate leaders can take action to secure a nature-positive world, and what being nature positive actually means for companies.

Sector Transitions to Nature Positive: Accelerating sector-specific priority actions to reduce impacts and unlock opportunities

In collaboration with Oliver Wyman, the Sector Transitions to Nature Positive project aims to support companies by:

1. Understanding the sector’s most material impacts and dependencies


2. Identifying priority actions for the sector to reduce negative impacts and unlock opportunities across the value chain

The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with Oliver Wyman, gathered input from a wide range of multi-stakeholder to help inform how companies can transform their operations and value chain, by:

- Understanding the sector’s most material impacts and dependencies

- Identifying 5 sector priority actions to reduce negative impacts and unlock opportunities across operations and value chain

In the first phase, we focused on three priority sectors. Read the reports here.

1. Chemicals

2. Household and personal care product

3. Cement and concrete

This is part of a collaboration with Business for Nature and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, offering sector specific guidance for 12 global industries. All 12 sector overviews are available on the Business for Nature website.

All sector guidance is based on consultation and inputs from 7-10 corporates per sector, and an advisory panel consisting of 30 leading academic and civil society organizations. 

The second phase of the initiative from Dec 2023 to Dec 2024 will focus on three priorities with expansion into new sectors and a deep dive in China

1. Financing the Nature-Positive Transition

2. New Sector Guidance

- Mining and Metals

- Automotive

- Port Operations with a marine biodiversity focus

- Offshore Wind with a marine biodiversity focus

3. China Deep Dive in the above four sectors

Get in touch if you want to be involved: Xinqing.Lu@Weforum.org