The following article, written by Maria Jovita Lambert, is part of a series of reflections on the upcoming International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) World Conservation Congress to be held in Abu Dhabi, October 2025. The series entitled “Classroom to Congress” examines proposed motions by the Global Center for Environmental Legal Studies (GCELS) at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University on a variety of environmental issues to be decided at the Congress. The articles in this series were developed through a guided research program for Pace | Haub Environmental Law students taught by Professor Achinthi Vithanage.
As the world grapples with the escalating climate crisis, the interconnected challenges of biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and climate change have become impossible to ignore. The triple planetary crisis — climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution —threatens not only the natural world but also the global economy which relies heavily on the natural resources and ecosystem-services provided by healthy biodiversity and ecosystems. In response to this urgent situation, the proposed motion Strengthening Business Engagement in Climate Adaptation for Preservation of Biodiversity and Ecosystems seeks to address the critical gaps between climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and corporate responsibility, offering a roadmap for businesses to play a more active role in building a sustainable future. This blog is structured into three sections: Part I offers background on the motion, Part II examines the proposed solutions, and Part III analyzes the desired impact of the motion.
I. The Business-Ecosystem Paradox: A Crisis in Need of Change
The climate crisis, a present reality across the world, has already led to increased extreme weather events, deprivation of fundamental human rights, loss of life, billions of dollars of damage and an increasingly warmer planet harming human health and ecosystems as per the World Meteorological Organization. Even if the goals of the Paris Agreement are met, residual risks will persist, underscoring the need for robust climate adaptation strategies.
Businesses across the globe, most, if not all, are dependent on the resources given by nature, such as raw materials like wood, and ecosystem services such as water purification, flood protection, pollination and general climate regulation. Most businesses impact biodiversity and ecosystems, either directly through their core operations or indirectly through their supply chain and investment decisions. It becomes clear that the health of businesses and the health of Earth’s ecosystems share an intrinsic relationship which, at present, is strictly inverse where one benefits from the loss of the other. This unsustainable dynamic must change.
While there has been increased awareness and initiatives around corporate climate accountability, the focus remains on reducing carbon emission rather than adaptation and resilience building. The proposed motion recognizes that businesses have a significant role to play in addressing the triple planetary crisis, not just through mitigation efforts but also through adaptation strategies that protect and build resilience of biodiversity and ecosystems. By integrating biodiversity considerations into business operations, companies would reap direct as well as indirect benefits, such as improved risk management against climate impacts, better sustainability, security of the ecosystem services that they depend upon, and a positive environmental reputation among competitors and consumers.
II. A Call for Action: Demands from the IUCN
The motion Strengthening Business Engagement in Climate Adaptation for Preservation of Biodiversity and Ecosystems at its core calls on IUCN to recognize, incorporate, and promote the role of business in climate adaptation and preservation of biodiversity and ecosystems. It also serves as a call to businesses to adopt nature-based solutions and ecosystem based adaptation strategies to build a resilient global economy. The motion also emphasizes the importance of collaboration with local stakeholders, particularly Indigenous peoples and local communities, to ensure that adaptation efforts are inclusive and effective.
Key actions proposed include:
- Recognize the Role of Businesses: calls on IUCN to recognize and incorporate the role of businesses in climate adaptation in its publications and to share best practices for ecosystem-based adaptation by 2029.
- Corporate Climate Responsibility: calls on businesses to partner with local communities to develop scalable, locally-led adaptation models across operations and supply chains.
- Nature-Based Solutions: calls on businesses to adopt ecosystem-based adaptation that minimizes harm, enhances biodiversity, and ensures inclusive participation of Indigenous peoples and local communities.
- Stronger Policy Frameworks: calls on States to implement inclusive and binding frameworks that incentivize, oversee and support business engagement in climate adaptation and alignment with national climate and biodiversity goals.
- Public-Private-People Partnerships: calls on States to support collaboration between governments, businesses, and communities to build climate-resilient ecosystems and economies.
- Monitoring & Accountability: calls on all stakeholders to develop transparent tracking mechanisms to measure business contributions and ensure environmental and social commitments are met.
III. The Goal? – Unlocking a New Era of Corporate Responsibility
By engaging businesses in climate adaptation, the motion seeks to create a mutually beneficial relationship between business and nature. Companies that adopt nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation strategies can improve their risk management, secure the ecosystem services they depend on, and enhance their environmental reputation. This not only benefits the businesses themselves but also contributes to the preservation of biodiversity and the resilience of ecosystems.
Moreover, the motion has the potential to drive significant financial flows into climate adaptation. Presently, the adaptation finance gap is estimated to be USD $187-$359 billion per year and despite the acknowledged urgency of adaptation, international public finance continued to prioritize mitigation, at 53% of flows, with adaptation at 34%. An increase in adaptation finance is particularly important in developing countries, which act as host countries for various multinational corporations and where the impacts of climate change are most severe and resources for adaptation are most limited.
The motion also aligns with broader international frameworks, such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By integrating climate adaptation into corporate strategies, businesses can contribute to global targets for biodiversity conservation, climate action, and sustainable development.
As we look ahead to the 2025 World Conservation Congress with the motion up for e-vote, the adoption of this motion could mark the beginning of a new era of corporate responsibility. By embracing nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation, businesses can help build a more sustainable and equitable future for all. The time to act is now; for the planet, the economy, and future generations.
For more information, refer to the Explanatory Memorandum for the ‘Strengthening Business Engagement in Climate Adaptation for Preservation of Biodiversity and Ecosystems’ Motion.
This publication was created with assistance from AI tools. The content has been reviewed and edited by a human. For more information on the extent and nature of AI usage, please contact the author. For more information on Pace University’s policy on AI, see here.