A new report from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) reveals that many global businesses are responding positively to the global biodiversity targets set by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity
The so-called Aichi targets, named after the Japanese province where the 2010 conference took place, recognise the urgent need for action, and WBCSD’s report shows how companies, including steel maker ArcelorMittal, cosmetics producer L’Oréal, oil and gas company Shell, and Veolia Water are attempting to help solve biodiversity and ecosystems challenges.
Among the case studies showcased is Chevron’s development of a quarantine management system to prevent non-indigenous species causing significant biodiversity loss and degradation of ecosystems services at Barrow Island.
The US oil and gas company introduced the system after receiving approval in 2009 for the development of the Greater Gorgon Area gas fields, which are off the coast of western Australia.
Another example is Holcim’s rehabilitation activities in India through its local subsidiary Ambuja Cement, which attempt to mitigate the impacts of withdrawing limestone and water from the area, both of which are required for cement manufacture.
The company’s Ambujanagar plant in the Kodinar region of Gujarat, for example, restores its mines and surrounding areas in such a way that it has been able to enhance the region’s biodiversity as well as help to address water scarcity and salinity problems, reports the council.
“Many of our leading member companies have been on a steep learning curve about their ecosystems impact and dependence. Many of them have acted upon these and developed solutions. We are moving in the right direction, but there is still more to be done,” commented Peter Bakker, president of WBCSD.
To achieve meaningful and lasting ecosystems benefits, WBCSD recommends a scaling up of the innovative actions highlighted in the report, so they have an exponential impact. It also calls on firms to speed up their efforts so solutions can counter ecosystems degradation and biodiversity loss as soon as possible
