The Chair of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and Group CEO of Olam, Mr Sonny Verghese, presented the private sector perspective during the launch of the new Global Standard for NbS. He called for greater collaboration at a landscape level - that goes beyond food and agriculture - to achieve our biodiversity and sustainable development goals. "We have to be the change we want to see," said Mr Verghese. This includes taking action at an individual, company and sectoral level, he added. 

Listen to Mr Verghese's full statement during the launch (at 51:00) here. 

A new report issued by the independent Rio Doce Panel highlights this important Brazilian watershed's vulnerability to climate extremes. It recommends that the Renova Foundation and other actors responsible for restoring the watershed, following the 2015  tailings dam collapse, build a joint action plan in response to the climate emergency. “In order for the Rio Doce watershed to recover, it is essential to invest in climate-resilient policies and adaptive solutions," said the Panel Chair Yolanda Kakabadse.  

Read more in English and Portuguese, or download the report here.

To accelerate meaningful conservation action and partnerships with the private sector, a new paper examines the key success factors and challenges across nine  business and biodiversity platforms. Published by IUCN's Business and Biodiversity Programme, the paper includes case studies from Africa, Asia and Europe. As IUCN's Nadine McCormick, who commissioned the study, says: “Business platforms can be effective mechanisms to help companies understand their impact and dependencies on nature as well as accelerate meaningful conservation action and partnerships.”   

Read more or download the paper here.

Listen to a webinar on the key findings.  

A new guide, National Guidance for Plastic Pollution Hotspotting and Shaping Action, aims to help countries, regions and cities developing  strategic plans for tackling plastic pollution. Developed by IUCN, the UN Environment Programme and the Life Cycle Initiative, the guide provides methods for identifying plastic leakage “hotspots” and their impacts along the plastic value chain, and helps prioritize action. IUCN’s Marine Plastics and Coastal Communities (MARPLASTICCs) initiative has rolled out a series of national workshops in Thailand, Viet Nam, South Africa, Kenya, and Mozambique, as part of this effort. 

Read more.

On 15 June, 31 NGOs and business groups including the International Chamber of Commerce, WWF, We Mean Business, UN  Global Compact, IUCN and Business for Nature published a letter calling on CEOs to push governments to include ambitious policies to reverse nature loss as part of green recovery plans. Read the full letter. Coinciding with a virtual event held the same day with global leaders, the Call to Action urges ambitious and collective action on nature. If you’re a business, sign up now. You can also watch the highlights from the  event, Building Business Resilience, here.

Read more.

Earlier this month, the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management launched the first global standard on tailings management that can be applied to existing and future tailings facilities, wherever they are and whoever operates them. Co-convened by UN Environment Programme, Principles for Responsible Investment and the International Council on Mining and Metals following the tragic tailings facility collapse in Brumadinho, Brazil, in January 2019, the Standard was developed through an independent process chaired by IUCN's new Director General Dr Bruno Oberle.   

Read more.

Published by the IUCN European Regional Office, this new report, Approaches to sustainable agriculture, shows that different approaches to sustainable agriculture exist. While they have a number of important commonalities, their diversity is also a strength in itself.

Read more or download the report

As the first phase of the Sustainability and Inclusion Strategy for Growth Corridors in Africa (SUSTAIN-Africa) ended in 2019, emerging results in governance, integrated natural resources management, and business and investment are contributing to sustainable landscape development.

Read more or download the report

Responsible Steel has published a draft version of its requirements for the responsible sourcing of input materials used in steel making and steel processing. These requirements create a strong link to mining and other supply chain activities. They have the potential to create tangible incentives for mine sites and suppliers to steel companies to improve their environmental, social and governance performance. ResponsibleSteel is now seeking feedback from stakeholders on these requirements. The draft version can be found in English here. Feedback can be provided until 2 October 2020, via the form provided here.  

Read more.

IUCN’s Business and Biodiversity Programme and Species Survival Commission Species Monitoring Specialist Group have shared draft guidelines for planning and monitoring corporate biodiversity performance management. The guidelines are intended to steer businesses through a series of  practical steps to plan biodiversity goals, choose and apply appropriate biodiversity indicators, and collect, present and analyse data in a way that facilitates better management. The deadline for comments is 30 September, and a webinar will be held on 27 August here.

Read more.