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Welcome from the BBP Director

Dear colleagues,

This issue of Building Bridges covers an array of stories from our partners and projects. The UN report on biodiversity released last month is a wake-up call, but some companies and coalitions are already working to identify solutions. However, as the report warns, all sectors of society must act and act now. The IUCN World Conservation Congress taking place in just over a year's time in Marseille, France, will be an opportunity to showcase new business commitments and broaden the dialogue on safeguarding nature. Further information about the IUCN Congress can be found here and we hope that many of you will be able to join us! In the meantime, please continue to follow the latest updates on LinkedIn and Twitter.

With best regards,

Gerard Bos, Director,

IUCN's Business and Biodiversity Programme
Top stories
 
New UN report confirms - nature is in crisis
 

IUCN welcomes the UN Global Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services report, the most comprehensive ever completed, which reveals the severity of the loss of living nature and its grave consequences for humans. Published in May by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the Chair Sir Robert Watson said: "The health of ecosystems on which we and all other species depend is deteriorating more rapidly than ever. We are eroding the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide.”  IUCN urges governments and all sectors of society to make the "transformative changes" outlined in the report in order to restore and protect nature. Read more.
Rio Doce Panel paper calls for investing in economic diversification

The Rio Doce Panel, an independent panel of experts coordinated by IUCN to advise the Renova Foundation on the recovery efforts of the Rio Doce Basin in Brazil, issued a suite of new recommendations in March. The panel calls on the Foundation to promote economic alternatives to mining, such as forest restoration chains and community-based tourism, that could underpin a more sustainable future for all of the inhabitants in the watershed as well as help prevent continued environmental degradation. Read more.
New guide helps sports venues minimise their impacts on nature

An IIUCN guide designed to help integrate biodiversity considerations into new sports venues, while minimising their impacts on nature and delivering conservation benefits, was released in March by IUCN's Director General and incoming Executive Director of UN Environment Inger Andersen at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi. Aimed at the sports industry, the guide is the second in a series of guides produced as part of an ongoing collaborative agreement between IUCN and the International Olympic Committee. Read more. 
IUCN warns the BRI must address social and environmental risks

At the 2nd Belt and Road Forum held  in April in China, IUCN's Regional Director for Asia Aban Marker Kabraji welcomed the opportunities that the development initaitive offers in terms of contributing to economic growth, poverty alleviation and investing in nature conservation, but also recognised the risks, particularly in countries with relatively weak social and environmental safeguards. She spoke at the new BRI International Green Development Coalition (IGDC), which IUCN has been invited to join. In addition, she recently participated in an Asia Society panel discussion on this topic. Read more and watch a video of the panel here. 
Findings from the IUCN independent review with Newmont Goldcorp published

A three-year collaborative partnership between IUCN and Newmont Goldcorp aims to help the company meet its global targets to achieve no net loss for biodiversity, and net gains where possible. As part of the agreement, IUCN is carrying out an independent review at select mining sites using the IUCN Biodiversity Net Gain Review Protocol. Highlights of the findings from the first IUCN independent review that took place last year in Nevada were recently published and presented at the annual Conference of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA ‘19), held in Brisbane, Australia. Read more. 
IUCN endorses global ‘Oceans Plastics Charter’

At the recent Nature Champions Summit in Canada, IUCN signed onto the Canada-led Oceans Plastics Charter - a landmark agreement to prevent the mismanagement of plastic waste. This five-part plan symbolises global commitment at the highest levels to rethink the world’s relationship with plastics and shift economies towards zero plastic waste. Besides IUCN, the Charter has now been signed by more than 20 countries and over 50 businesses and organisations around the world.  Read more.
Sustainable infrastructure experts meet 

Under the umbrella of the Sustainable Infrastructure Partnership, UN Environment and IUCN hosted the First Expert Working Group Meeting on Sustainable Infrastructure in Gland in May. Experts discussed how to upstream sustainability concerns in the infrastructure planning cycle at the national level and how to support macro-level, integrated, cross-sectoral planning. They also reviewed existing guidance and gaps, and agreed a workplan. Read more. 
Upcoming events
Financing and resourcing protected and conserved areas

The next BIOPAMA Eastern and Southern Africa webinar  will be held 5 June at 12 noon (GMT+2). Focused on Financing and Resourcing Protected and Conserved Areas, it will explore the challenge faced both globally and within countries to adequately finance and resource biodiversity conservation, particularly at a landscape level. Read more.
SwissBiz4Nature seeks champions committed to nature                     

SwissBiz4Nature is a new initiative that aims to bring chief executives and sustainability managers together to strengthen public commitments to safeguard nature. Funded by the Swiss government, it is seeking business champions to join a coalition of leaders committed to addressing the global biodiversity crisis. A workshop will be held on 5 June. Read more.

BioBiz hosts webinar on nature-based solutions

IUCN will host its third PANORAMA webinar on the topic, Engaging business in nature-based solutions, on Thursday, 27 June, from 14:00-15:00 CET. Following a short overview, two PANORAMA case studies will be showcased, followed by a Q&A with the presenters. Participants are also encouraged to share their own experiences via the PANORAMA platform. Register here.
IUCN Blog: Is banning the best solution? 

Recent bans on the sale of leather from exotic reptiles, such as crocodiles, lizards and snakes, may seem beneficial for species conservation at first glance. But evidence shows that such bans can actually harm species, as well as indigenous and local communities, according to members of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission. In the latest Crossroads Blog, they write: "Brands, designers and department stores play a critical role in providing incentives for conservation programmes around the world." Read more.

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