We’re in the ‘messy middle’, let’s stay on track
As we move further into 2026, the global landscape is presenting us with a real test of resilience. We are navigating a rollercoaster that can make even the most committed leaders feel hesitant.
In times like these, we need “lioness leadership”. This is the ability to observe the landscape calmly and remain stable through the turbulence so we can act swiftly with strategic intention. Much like a skipper navigating an ocean storm, we must trust our foundations and stay steady when the waves feel high.
At Business for Nature, our mission is clear. While we are staying on track, we know that current global progress isn’t moving fast enough. To accelerate, we are focusing our efforts where we can have the most impact. As we look toward the UN Biodiversity COP17 in Armenia, in October, we are supporting governments to ensure they engage with the private sector to implement the Global Biodiversity Framework. We are also aiming to mobilize businesses to call for the realignment of financial incentives for nature, which we see as the single most powerful lever for change.
The 2026 ‘Triple COP’ momentum
All three Rio Conventions will hold their Conferences of the Parties (COPs) this year. This is an opportunity to continue to break down silos. Nature, climate and land degradation are inextricably linked; we cannot solve one without the other.
UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) 17–28 August | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
UN Biodiversity Conference (UNCBD COP17) 19–30 October | Yerevan, Armenia
UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP31) 9–20 November | Antalya, Türkiye
Watch out for an invitation to our joint webinar on 3 June at 10:00-11:00am and 5:00-6:00pm CEST with the We Mean Business coalition and Business4Land to explore further and understand how businesses can get involved.
At the UN Biodiversity COP17, we want to have a meaningful influence by convening a high-ambition business delegation equipped to engage and advocate for incentive reform.
Why incentive reform is crucial
The IPBES Business and Biodiversity Assessment was another scientific wake-up call: nature loss is a systemic risk to the global economy. Yet the rules of the game remain rigged: globally, we continue to pour at least $2.6 trillion each year into subsidies that harm nature. This creates an uneven playing field, where forward-thinking businesses are penalized for nature-positive practices while the market continues to reward nature-depleting alternatives. In 2022, governments agreed to reform these incentives as part of Target 18 of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). However, as of late 2025, only 6% of these governments had set national targets that fully address this reform.
Through our work with partners – including Conservation International, CDP, The B Team, Capitals Coalition, WRI and WWF – we aim to mobilize businesses to engage in discussions on incentive reform, demonstrating the opportunity and showing how the most sustainable path can also be the most profitable. We’ve already seen powerful economic proof points, shared at Davos during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting and the Villars Summit this year:
In Andhra Pradesh, India: Putting in place a robust incentive scheme that promotes the use of natural farming methods instead of supporting chemical use led to a 49-80% increase in farmer income.
Costa Rica: Redirecting fossil fuel taxes to fund forest restoration has helped fuel a massive ecotourism boom, now driving 8% of GDP and providing income to over 18,000 rural families as forest cover doubled over 30 years.
Driving the transition at a national level
Global frameworks like the Global Biodiversity Framework are only as valuable as the action they deliver on the ground. Our National Business–Government Initiatives across Africa, Asia and Latin America are shifting businesses from spectators to active partners in government delivery. We’re already seeing some success this year, including in:
Chile: The government adopted a National Business Action Plan and launched a nature strategy Accelerator Program for more than 20 pilot companies; both featured in Chile’s seventh National Report to the CBD.
Nigeria: Together with BIOFIN, our National Business Advisory Group provides a formal platform for the private sector to work with governments to deliver ambitious biodiversity policy. By actively aligning business action with national priorities, biodiversity becomes central in economic planning.
Indonesia: With government backing, we are working with partners to develop a business-led roadmap that translates national biodiversity commitments into concrete corporate actions. This will help businesses accelerate their nature journey and contribute to both national and global biodiversity targets.
Updates
Closing soon! The Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) has launched a public consultation to inform updates to its technical guidance for companies on assessing and prioritizing nature impacts. The consultation is open until Friday 17 April 2026.
The World Economic Forum has published a new report highlighting 50 investible opportunities for a new nature economy. From precision agriculture to battery recycling to bio-based materials, the report showcases new ways of doing business.
Capitals Coalition, in collaboration with GlobeScan, is running a 10-minute global survey with senior leaders. This research will provide insight into new ways of conceiving and building value. Share your thoughts!
A new A Track webinar series, starting in May, aims to support businesses to build and test compelling business cases for nature that resonate with senior decision-makers. Find out more and register.
Following the release of the Nature-Positive Initiative’s ‘State of Nature Metrics’, NPI is now pilot-testing a standardized framework to help businesses measure and report their contribution toward halting and reversing nature loss by 2030.
It feels like we’re in the ‘messy middle’ of a big transition. This may well be the hardest part, but it’s also where strategic, ambitious and intentional leadership matters most. We see this leadership in action today: over 40 companies have now published nature strategies through It’s Now for Nature and TNFD has reached a tipping point with over 700 global adopters.
Please continue to speak up, show up and engage with us on the road to COP17 as we push for the policy shifts that will rewrite the rules that work with, not against, nature.
With many thanks and best regards,
Eva
P.s Stay ahead of the curve and subscribe to our monthly Nature Policy Bulletin to get jargon-free insights into the global regulatory landscape.