The State of Biodiversity in Business: A Year in Review and Predictions for 2025
Despite limited policy advancements at COP16 (Biodiversity) and COP29 (Climate), the private sector took meaningful voluntary strides toward biodiversity and nature risk transparency throughout 2024. The pace is set to quicken next year given the mainstreaming of disclosure standards, increased scrutiny of materiality benchmarks, and emergence of tools that enable this work at scale.
Environmental transparency reached new heights as companies set unprecedented records for CDP disclosures across climate, water, and forests categories (2023 data).
Key Developments in 2024
57% Increase in Public TNFD Adopters
The business world witnessed a surge in TNFD framework adoption, with over 500 companies now publicly pledging to make voluntary disclosures of nature-related risks. From our own work, we are also seeing this movement extend beyond the public commitments; many organizations–particularly those within CSRD scope–are quietly preparing to implement TNFD-aligned reporting practices.Pioneering Nature-Based Targets
In a groundbreaking development, several public companies became early adopters of science-based targets for nature. This marks a crucial shift from general environmental commitments to specific, measurable objectives for nature protection.Record-Breaking CDP Disclosures
Environmental transparency reached new heights as companies set unprecedented records for CDP disclosures across climate, water, and forests categories (2023 data). Although 80% of the disclosures were for climate, there was a 23% year-over-year increase in disclosures for water–sharp growth indicative of growing corporate awareness and prioritization of nature risk.
We anticipate a substantial increase in biodiversity-focused disclosures within corporate sustainability reports, just as we’ve observed with climate disclosures.
Looking Ahead to 2025
Prioritization of Biodiversity in Sustainability Reporting
We anticipate a substantial increase in biodiversity-focused disclosures within corporate sustainability reports, just as we’ve observed with climate disclosures. Companies will be expected to not only include dedicated biodiversity sections, but also provide more comprehensive and specific analyses of their nature-related impacts and dependencies.Increased Rigor in Biodiversity Materiality Assessments
A significant shift is coming in how companies evaluate biodiversity risk. Many organizations will discover that simple top-down and survey-based materiality assessments have underestimated their biodiversity risks. Investors and auditors will challenge these results and expect to see companies making more precise location-based assessments in line with the TNFD framework.Democratization of Biodiversity Risk Assessment
The launch of Dunya Analytics' automated biodiversity and nature risk analytics platform will transform corporate environmental reporting. Our innovative and easy-to-use solution makes TNFD-aligned reporting and CSRD compliance accessible and cost-effective for organizations of all sizes.
Time to Act
Organizations now have the frameworks and tools to enable progress in identifying, measuring, and managing nature and biodiversity risks and opportunities. Given the work needed to meet the Global Biodiversity Framework’s 2030 targets, there is every reason to act now.
Take the first step toward comprehensive nature & biodiversity risk management by exploring how Dunya Analytics can automate your organization’s TNFD-aligned reporting and CSRD compliance. Learn more about us and how we can help you on your journey to becoming nature positive.
