How does ecological risk relate to commercial risk?
Healthy ecosystems are essential for long-term growth and businesses that ignore ecological risks face existential threats.
The October 2024 Royal Society conference underscored the urgent link between ecological and commercial risks, emphasising that business success depends on nature's health.
The Royal Society has published a summary note from a conference held on 3-4 October 2024, chaired by Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta FRS, which brought together business leaders, scientists, economists, and policymakers to examine the links between nature loss and economic stability.
Biodiversity decline and ecosystem degradation are not just environmental concerns. They pose material risks to business resilience, supply chains, and global markets. Speakers and delegates explored these risks through three guiding questions: Why should I care? What should I care about? What can I do about it?
Headline messages from the discussions include:
- There’s no business on a dead planet: Ecological tipping points threaten both the environment and the global economy
- A $5 trillion warning: Biodiversity shocks could trigger systemic supply chain disruptions on a global scale
- Nature and commerce are intertwined: Healthy ecosystems underpin food security, water supplies, infrastructure resilience, and long-term growth
- Acting early is a competitive advantage: Businesses adopting nature-positive strategies now can reduce exposure to risk, meet emerging regulatory requirements, and strengthen stakeholder trust
- Collaboration is essential: Science, business, finance, and policy must work together to address nature-related risks and integrate them into decision-making at all levels
This work builds on the Dasgupta Review and aligns with global initiatives such as the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).
This conference was chaired by Sir Partha Dasgupta FRS.
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