Nature Positive Initiative launches global piloting programme to test aligned state of nature metrics

The initiative sees TNFD, GRI, Birdlife, IUCN, The Nature Conservancy, the African Natural Capital Alliance and WBCSD partnering with businesses across sectors, including agriculture, energy, forestry, finance, manufacturing and mining, to test the new framework

The Nature Positive Initiative today announced the launch of its global piloting programme to test the draft state of nature metrics, a vital step forward to help key actors address the nature crisis. Over thirty businesses and financial institutions across 32 countries and in six sectors have committed to test the practicality of a new, unified set of metrics, helping to finalize a standardized approach to measuring progress towards the nature-positive global goal to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030.

The draft metrics, which include both ecosystem and species indicators, aim to provide a practical and scientifically credible way for organizations to measure their impacts on biodiversity and nature-positive outcomes. The metrics aim to accelerate real action to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 and promote continued recovery, by filling a gap in how organizations monitor and report their impact on nature as well as nature-positive contributions, supporting them in target-setting, project monitoring, strategy development and disclosure.

Marco Lambertini, Convener of the Nature Positive Initiative, commented: “Unlike climate, where we can measure progress using global temperatures and atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gasses to monitor progress towards the net-zero emissions global goal, we currently lack a universal way to measure nature’s health and our progress towards the recently agreed Nature Positive goal: halt and reverse biodiversity loss.

“Everyone depends on nature and businesses are no exception. As business is today the main source of negative impacts on nature, we need metrics that allow companies and investors to assess nature impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities and inform adequate actions leading to credible nature-positive outcomes and contributions for stronger accountability as well as clearer recognition. Companies in this piloting programme will, for the first time, apply a consistent set of metrics that will help to track whether their actions are credibly contributing to improving the state of nature, in other words, to a future with more nature, not less”

Members of the Nature Positive Initiative - a diverse alliance of 27 of the world’s largest nature conservation organizations, sustainable business platforms, standard-setting organizations, academia, Indigenous and local governments networks - will work with major companies across key sectors, including agriculture, energy, forestry, finance, manufacturing and mining, to pilot the aligned State of Nature Metrics. Businesses and financial institutions will assess elements of metric performance, accessibility and affordability, helping to shape the future of reporting on nature, while receiving hands-on support from the Nature Positive Initiative’s member organizations. Ernst & Young and The Biodiversity Consultancy will provide consultancy support.

Once tested, the aim is for the metrics to then be embedded into existing frameworks and standards with leading organizations such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD),the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Science-Based Targets Network (SBTN), helping to simplify and align how businesses and financial institutions report on their impact on nature. To prepare for this TNFD is partnering with 15 organizations and GRI with 10.

Tony Goldner, CEO, TNFD, comments: “As part of a broader programme of pilot testing this year, TNFD is delighted to be supporting the Nature Positive Initiative with pilot testing of their proposed state of nature metrics. Subject to the outcome of pilot testing, these are potentially important inputs into the TNFD’s metrics architecture alongside the dependency, impact, risk and opportunity metrics we have already published as part of our recommendations and sector guidance.”

The piloting programme follows extensive consultation with over 700 stakeholders worldwide, including conservation organizations, business and finance coalitions, standard bodies and Indigenous knowledge holders. From an initial landscape audit of more than 600 existing metrics, the Nature Positive Initiative developed a minimum set of viable metrics that balance scientific credibility with practical applicability.

The final set of state of nature metrics is expected to be ready for widespread adoption in 2026, following the completion of the pilot program, which runs from May through November 2025.

Companies and organizations that wish to engage with the Nature Positive Initiative and stay up to date on the latest updates on the metrics can join the Nature Positive Forum. By joining the forum, they will be part of a network of over 200 leading companies and organizations that are committed to the nature-positive definition, and will have the opportunity to attend invite-only webinars as the piloting progresses.