Nature is important to African societies and the African economy. Africa is rich with natural capital and has a wealth of indigenous and local knowledge. Africa is losing biodiversity at an alarming rate, caused by a few key drivers of change. Nature loss is a global problem which countries, regulators, and standard setters are addressing.
Two important global initiatives are:
TNFD is aligned with some of the most significant global and regional disclosure standards, including the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) S1 and S2, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards and Science-based Targets for Nature (SBTN).
As major financiers of economic activity, banks must be at the forefront of shifting financial flows to halt and reverse nature loss. They need a reliable, quantitative way to measure the impact and dependencies of their operations and portfolios on biodiversity; to reduce risks; and to promote nature-positive outcomes to build resilience.
Several methodologies have been developed to complement the above emerging initiatives and provide market participants with quantitative measurement options, including some with specific guidance for financial institutions.
Three that were published during 2023 are outlined below: