Nature Policy Bulletin - April 2026
Catch up on nature policy news from last month
In a nutshell:
Deep-sea mining moves faster than the rules governing it: Failing talks raise fears of a regulatory race to the bottom
EUDR under pressure: US pressure mounts on EU deforestation law while businesses call for stability
Record biodiversity reporting: 126 countries submit UN biodiversity progress reports, with business action increasingly visible
Deep-sea mining moves faster than the rules designed to govern it
Countries failed to advance negotiations on global rules for deep-sea mining at the latest meeting of the International Seabed Authority (ISA). The standoff is creating real risks to the marine environment as well as a lack of clarity for businesses.
Over 10 days from 9 March, delegates met in Kingston, Jamaica, to negotiate the Mining Code – the framework that would govern mining of the ocean floor. But discussions remain far from concluded, with disputes over environmental protections, who pays for damage and how profits are shared.
Despite this, the pressure is mounting to accelerate the process. Countries including Russia and China called for the rapid adoption of the Mining Code, while the ISA Secretary-General pledged to wrap up negotiations by the end of 2026. With so many issues still unresolved, pushing for a swift adoption can be “reckless”, said the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, and result in a weak agreement that risks fragile marine ecosystems.
Growing pressure from countries eager to move ahead with seabed mining is only adding to the urgency for regulation. As we covered in our February Bulletin, Japan already launched deep-sea mining trials near Minamitori Island to extract rare earth elements.
On the other side of the ocean, the United States is trying to push ahead with deep-sea mining outside of the international system, since the United States is not an ISA member. This has raised concerns about a global free-for-all, with no shared rules and the potential for a figurative and literal race to the bottom.
These moves, which assessments warn could threaten up to USD 132 billion in global value, are at odds with the broad coalition of governments, civil society groups and businesses that have called for caution, because the risk of irreversible harm to marine ecosystems is real. More and more companies agree that caution is needed – while circular-economy strategies and mineral recycling offer safer, more sustainable alternatives.
Business for Nature remains steadfast in its position, calling for a moratorium on deep seabed mining until its environmental, social and economic risks are comprehensively investigated and there is scientific proof that this activity can be sustainably managed without harming the marine environment.
US pressure mounts on EU deforestation law while businesses call for stability
According to reports in Euroactiv, the EU is facing increasing pressure to water down the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Under the spotlight is the deforestation risk methodology, with governments lobbying to reclassify certain countries to a different deforestation risk category.
Officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative are engaging with EU governments to influence the regulation’s reach and impact to U.S. trade, which aims to ensure that products placed on the EU market are not linked to deforestation.
This comes at a time when the European Commission is still deciding whether to make further changes before the regulation enters into force.
At the same time, a coalition of businesses and environmental organizations, including Nestlé, Danone, Barry Callebaut and the Rainforest Alliance, has urged the Commission not to reopen the core text. Companies warn that further delays or changes would prolong legal uncertainty, undermine investments already made in compliance and weaken the EU’s credibility as a global standard-setter.
The EUDR remains one of the EU’s most significant tools to address deforestation-linked risks. Ongoing political pressure risks undermining one of the EU's most powerful tools against deforestation. Companies depend on healthy, intact forests for climate stability, water regulation and agricultural productivity, meaning delays or weakening of the EUDR ultimately heighten supply‑chain risks and costs. Businesses need clarity - and they need it now.
A record 126 countries submit UN biodiversity reports with businesses increasingly central
A record number of countries have submitted their seventh National Reports under the Convention on Biological Diversity and governments are increasingly highlighting business as central to realizing their plans.
This is especially true for target 15 on reporting and disclosure, and target 18 on incentives.
A total of 126 countries reported in time to inform the first global review of the Global Biodiversity Framework, which will be delivered at COP17 in Armenia. This will be a critical milestone to assess whether the world is on track to meet the 2030 targets.
Several countries participating in Business for Nature’s national initiatives explicitly referenced these efforts in their reports. Across countries, common threads stand out:
From dialogue to delivery: Platforms in countries like Nigeria and South Africa are moving beyond awareness-raising to support concrete alignment of business practices with national biodiversity strategies.
Reporting as part of business strategy: Malaysia’s reporting highlights a shift toward embedding biodiversity into core business operations, supported by national roadmaps and governance platforms.
From plans to pilots: Chile’s pilot Business Action Plan demonstrates how companies are beginning to assess, disclose and reduce their biodiversity impacts, aligned with emerging global frameworks such as TNFD.
These examples point to a broader shift: business is no longer an afterthought in national plans, it's embedded in national implementation strategies. With half a year to go until COP17, turning this momentum into real, measurable action will be critical.
Caught up on April? Go back to the March Bulletin to catch up on previous nature policy stories from around the world.
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