Impact and dependence of business on biodiversity

Key economic sectors depend on and have a direct and indirect, positive or negative impact on biodiversity. Biodiversity is directly at the centre of many economic activities, and a healthy biodiverse planet is a precondition for humankind to exist – and thus for businesses to grow and for the economy to recover following a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keeping nature healthy is critical for the economy, both directly and indirectly. The World Economic Forum ranks biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse as one of the top five threats humankind will face in the next ten years. Businesses rely on biodiversity as inputs into their production processes, with over half of global GDP – some €40 trillion – dependent on nature and the services it provides.

Conversely, if we continue doing business as usual, and contribute to destroying ecosystems, the continued degradation of our natural capital will considerably limit business opportunities and socio-ec