The influential Nature Positive Initiative (NPI) has launched a first set of nine draft nature indicators, with the aim of building consensus on measuring progress towards nature positive.
Following engagement from over 100 organisations, the “state of nature” indicators was launched at the Global Nature Positive Summit in Australia, with backing from groups including Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and Science Based Targets Network (SBTN).
“They represent the first universal approach to measuring the state of nature, potentially transforming how businesses, financial institutions, and other key stakeholders embrace action and report on nature-positive outcomes,” said Marco Lambertini, convener of NPI and previously special envoy to WWF International.
“Until now, there has been a lack of global consensus on state of nature metrics, which is why TNFD, as well as other technical guides and frameworks such as SBTN, currently lack sufficient guidance on whether nature is in recovery or decline,” Lambertini told Carbon Pulse.
Existing frameworks have mainly tracked ‘pressure’ metrics, like deforestation area, and ‘response’ metrics, such as reforestation efforts, but have not focused on ‘state’ metrics to measure if ecosystems such as forests are recovering, he said.
Nature metrics, which number more than 600, have been challenging for organisations to determine what to measure in a consistent way, leading to inaction, said the report, delivered with support from Ernst & Young and The Biodiversity Consultancy.
“These metrics will, we hope, fold straight into the measurement architecture already designed by the TNFD for corporate assessment and reporting,” said Tony Goldner, TNFD executive director.
“For any organisation serious about nature and concerned of its long-term viability and risk management, adopting these metrics to inform their actions will be essential,” said Lambertini.
The NPI is a coalition of 27 of the world’s largest conservation organisations, standard setters, and scientific institutes, including TNFD, SBTN, and International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The initiative aims to find the most practical metrics for tracking nature’s state, rather than creating new indicators, it said in May. The final metrics are scheduled for release in early 2025.
HOW IT WORKS
The proposed framework covers nine indicators across two categories.
These are four ‘universal’ indicators that should be measured by all users, and five additional ‘case-specific’ indicators for assessing the condition of particularly vulnerable ecosystems, high-value habitats, or priority species.
The metrics behind the universal and case-specific indicators have three different levels. The tiered approach aims to allow users with various capabilities to start gradually moving to more detailed biodiversity monitoring as they grow.
For example, the metrics behind the indicator on proportion of natural habitat range from each sq. km of natural habitat at a 10-metre resolution for entry-level users, to the same at 1-m resolution for the advanced.
The nine indicators are:
Universal:
- Ecosystem extent
- Ecosystem condition
- Landscape intactness
- Species extinction risk
Case-specific metrics:
- Extent of highly threatened or high local value ecosystems
- Condition of highly threatened or high local value ecosystems
- Proportion of natural or semi-natural habitat
- Condition of semi-natural habitat
- Species population abundance
METRIC CHALLENGES
The biggest challenge is finding the right balance between rigour and practicality, Lambertini said.
“Too much onus on counting more species in a landscape makes it extremely impractical to measure nature as a whole.” This is expected a to be a key discussion point in the consultation.
“Reliance on free or affordable data is key. Too little focus on timely data can mean that the metrics do not properly gauge whether nature is in recovery, which in turn means the ecosystem services nature provides to humanity will be undermined.”
The consultation is open until Nov. 4.
By Thomas Cox – t.cox@carbon-pulse.com
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