The conversation about creating a baseline for biodiversity is ongoing – in Australia and around the world. In August 2023, the Findings of a high-level scoping study exploring the case for a global nature related public data facility were published.
The report calls for a robust global baseline, saying that: “Without a robust baseline of the state of nature, we cannot fully or reliably assess change over time linked, for example, to government policies or business impacts. Nor can governments or investors assess the effectiveness of any efforts an organisation takes, or claims to take, to halt and reverse those negative impacts or invest in nature-based solutions that contribute to nature positive outcomes.”
This important global scoping study was led by the by the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) with the support of the Global Commons Alliance and input of the Capitals Coalition, CDP, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), Open Earth, MRV Collective, Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) and UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) with the research and project management support of Nature Finance and Systemiq.
It proposes that: “A global nature-related public data facility – underpinned by the right scope, governance, financing and incentive structures, and enabled by globally consistent methods and standards for nature-related data that can be applied to national and sub-national contexts – could expand the availability and use of nature data and insights with significant benefits for public, private and civil society stakeholders globally.”
The report refers to the United Nations’ System of Environmental Economic-Accounting (SEEA) as the global framework that can provide those consistent methods and standards.
We recognize and are excited about the potential of this initiative and so look forward to understanding how this report will be received in the global community and supporting the establishment of a global public data facility.