Up to 1 million of the estimated 8 million plant and animal species on Earth are at risk of extinction and many of them within decades according to scientists and researchers.
On December 5th, Friends of the Earth International released a new analysis called, The Nature of Business: Corporate Influence over the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Global Biodiversity Framework. This analysis draws attention to the ways corporate capture has blocked, eliminated or corrupted efforts to prevent further biodiversity loss at the global scale. The report traces examples of how businesses have directly influenced the Global Biodiversity Framework and have derailed action in favour of profits.
The report denounces how business and corporations coalitions use ambiguous and intentionally muddled language that passes for science, such as “nature-based solutions” or “nature positive,” whose approach benefits the business sector, safeguards corporate profits, and promotes offsetting at the expense of Indigenous Peoples.
Nele Marien, Forests & Biodiversity programme coordinator at Friends of the Earth International explains the report today at the COP15 in Montreal:
“From funding delegations, over filling official secretariat roles with corporate-related actors, to intentionally distorting scientific inputs, corporate influence goes deep into the heart of the CBD. One strategy in particular stands out: the formation of purpose-built lobby coalitions allowing many corporations, such as BP or Vale, to present themselves as part of the solution and advocates for sustainability with green-sounding names. However, their ‘solutions’ are carefully crafted in order to not undermine their business models; ultimately they do nothing for the environment.”
“There is a fundamental conflict of interest,” adds Nele Marien. “Corporations are the most prominent contributors to biodiversity loss, ecosystem destruction and human rights violations. Addressing corporate capture of the CBD is a precondition for saving biodiversity. The UN and its Member States must resist corporate pressure and the CBD must reclaim its authority to regulate business. But what we are seeing Today is that they want to protect some territories and destroy others, it’s completely incoherent.”
Hemantha Withanage adds: “We need rules and regulations to frame an agreement that would allow Peoples-led solutions to biodiversity loss and to regain momentum. Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities already protect 80% of existing biodiversity, and they often defend it with their lives. Conserving biodiversity goes along with human rights, corporate business should not play a central role like what we are seeing here at the CBD.”
“I ask governments to put communities and indigenous peoples first, we are colonized by big corporations, and now they want to capture our lands and nature. We need regulations and rules for corporation, the people should be at the center of this agreement, we need to protect the people not the shareholders,” Rita Uwaka, Friends of the Earth Africa.
