Kerrigan Unter

Many stakeholders, from governments to civil society to businesses, lack the data they need to make informed decisions on biodiversity, jeopardising efforts to conserve, restore and sustainably manage nature. Here we review the importance of enhancing biodiversity monitoring, assess the challenges involved and identify potential solutions. Capacity for biodiversity monitoring needs to be enhanced urgently, especially in poorer, high-biodiversity countries where data gaps are disproportionately high. Modern tools and technologies, including remote sensing, bioacoustics and environmental DNA, should be used at larger scales to fill taxonomic and geographic data gaps, especially in the tropics, in marine and freshwater biomes, and for plants, fungi and invertebrates. Stakeholders need to follow best monitoring practices, adopting appropriate indicators and using counterfactual approaches to measure and attribute outcomes and impacts. Data should be made openly and freely available. Companies need to invest in collecting the data required to enhance sustainability in their operations and supply chains. With governments soon to commit to the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, the time is right to make a concerted push on monitoring. However, action at scale is needed now if we are to enhance results-based management adequately to conserve the biodiversity and ecosystem services we all depend on.

The detrimental consequences for general economic and social well-being as a result of biodiversity loss and the subsequent degradation of natural ecosystems are emerging as a wicked challenge that the whole societal and economic system must urgently faces. The severity of the impacts of incremental biodiversity depletion calls for substantial and imperative action by all actors and in particular by companies and institutions. Moreover, it is also pivotal an in-depth reflection that allows the management studies to develop as a scientific branch and to play its part in the fundamental transition to a biodiversity embedded future for companies. To further stimulate academic debate, this Symposium aims to encourage discussions on how companies can manage their relationship with the natural environment so as not to destroy the very life-supporting foundations provided by biodiversity.