Those of you whose memories still stretch all the way back to the beforetime — January and February — may recall that 2020 was to be a “super year” for biodiversity. Plans called for several global events focusing on the role of nature in mitigating the climate crisis, protecting us against the next pandemic, ensuring adequate food and water, promoting sustainable development and, in essence, maintaining the global economy.
Of course, things didn’t quite work out that way. Those mega-events largely have been canceled or postponed, but the focus on biodiversity, including its role in the world’s economic system, continues to grow, adapt and evolve, much like natural systems themselves.
“It won’t be long until biodiversity becomes yet another mainstay of shareholder proposals during annual meeting season.”
Case in point: The past year has brought a burgeoning interest among mainstream investors about the role of biodiversity in mitigating corporate risk.
Why, you ask? There’s an extinction crisis in progress, and it stands to negatively affect firms across a range of sectors. Companies, after all, rely on countless species, genes and ecosystem services as critical inputs. Read more…
