How Japan is building a nature-positive future through public-private initiatives

Healthy ecosystems are the foundation of a sustainable and resilient economy. A report released by non-profit Ceres in September 2025 warned that ecosystem degradation could result in annual global economic losses of up to $430 billion or $2.15 trillion over five years.

The impact spans eight key sectors, including food production, consumer goods retail, forestry and mining. These projections align with a 2021 World Bank report estimating that global gross domestic product (GDP) could fall by $2.7 trillion annually by 2030.

These findings underscore the urgent need for coordinated action across borders and sectors.

At the 2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) in 2022, countries adopted the global “30 by 30” target – to conserve at least 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030.

Since then, various parties have advanced concrete actions to meet this goal. For example, in Thailand, a citizen-led initiative known as the 30x30 Thailand Coalition has developed national guidelines to promote conservation across public, private and community levels.

In Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama, the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor was established as an intergovernmental framework that supports the protection and sustainable use of marine biodiversity.

Meanwhile, in Japan, the Ministry of the Environment developed the 30 by 30 Roadmap in 2022.

The plan outlines specific goals for 2030, including expanding and improving the management of protected areas such as national parks, designating and managing “Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs)” and enhancing the visibility of biodiversity conservation efforts.

In March 2024, Japan also introduced the Transition Strategies toward Nature Positive Economy, which encourages businesses to view natural capital not as a cost but as a foundation for sustainable growth and innovation.

With just five years remaining until 2030, efforts are accelerating in Japan.

In July 2025, the Ministry of the Environment released another roadmap for transitioning to a nature-positive economy by 2030, outlining actions stakeholders are expected to take to achieve national biodiversity goals.

The roadmap is structured around three pillars:

To further support information sharing, the government launched the Nature-Positive Portal in August 2025, a digital platform designed to disseminate the latest policy developments and encourage knowledge exchange between the public and private sectors.

Corporate engagement is central to building a nature-positive economy.

Since the release of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework in September 2023, which allows companies and financial institutions to report on their impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities related to nature, the number of Japanese companies adopting nature-related disclosures has grown rapidly.

As of July 2025, 182 Japanese firms have announced their commitments – the highest number worldwide.

One of the best practices comes from the paper manufacturer, Oji Holdings, which introduced its Zero Deforestation and Conversion Commitment in December 2024 and its Biodiversity Commitment in February 2025.

Through sustainable forest management, responsible timber sourcing and biodiversity protection across its value chain, Oji aims to contribute to ecosystem restoration and long-term environmental resilience.

Another example is a joint project launched in March 2025 by six group companies of NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS, a communications firm and a digitized biodiversity data service firm, Biome Inc.

Using satellite imagery and Japan’s largest biodiversity database, “BiomeDB,” the partnership is developing advanced technologies for large-scale, continuous monitoring of vegetation and wildlife. These tools will transform how natural capital is understood and managed, enabling more effective and data-driven conservation strategies across Japan.

The World Economic Forum’s 2020 report, The Future Of Nature And Business, highlights that more than half of global GDP is at risk due to nature loss. Public–private initiatives in Japan demonstrate how a coordinated national effort can drive both environmental stewardship and economic resilience.

By conserving biodiversity and restoring natural capital, Japan is safeguarding the very foundations of human well-being and unlocking new pathways to sustainable, inclusive growth.

Achieving a truly nature-positive economy will require bold and coordinated action, uniting governments, businesses and communities to build a future where economic prosperity and ecological integrity reinforce one another.