Global Business Report Shows Nature Powers $117T Economy

More than half of global economic activity—a staggering $117 trillion—depends on healthy ecosystems, according to a new scientific assessment launching next week in Manchester. The report, three years in the making, shows businesses worldwide are discovering that protecting nature isn't just good ethics—it's good business.

The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services assembled 80 leading experts from 35 countries to examine how business and nature support each other. Their Business and Biodiversity Assessment, the first of its kind, provides concrete strategies for companies to reduce environmental harm while boosting their bottom lines.

The timing matters. While extreme weather events like droughts and floods increasingly disrupt operations, forward-thinking businesses are already seeing returns on nature investments. UK Secretary of State Emma Reynolds highlighted the shift: "Around the world, momentum is building. Countries are restoring wetlands and forests. Communities are reviving degraded landscapes. Businesses are discovering that investing in nature delivers real returns."

The assessment arrives as the World Economic Forum's 2026 Global Risks Report identified biodiversity loss as the second most urgent long-term risk to business worldwide. Companies now have science-backed evidence showing their success depends on healthy ecosystems—from the forests that regulate water supplies to the pollinators that enable food production.

Professor Ximena Rueda-Fajardo, who co-chaired the assessment, puts it simply: "Businesses are both beneficiaries of nature and major contributors to its decline, so they have a critical role in ensuring wise stewardship of our environment. This is vital for their bottom line, long-term prosperity and the transformative change needed for more just and sustainable futures."

The Ripple Effect spreads far beyond corporate boardrooms. When businesses invest in restoring degraded landscapes and protecting biodiversity, entire communities benefit from cleaner water, stable food supplies, and climate resilience. The assessment provides Indigenous Peoples, local communities, financial institutions, and governments with tools to hold companies accountable while supporting those making positive changes.

Completed in just two years—half the typical timeframe for such comprehensive assessments—the report demonstrates how urgent this work has become. Scientists warn we have until 2030 to halt biodiversity loss, but the window is narrowing.

Reynolds struck an optimistic note about what's possible: "The tide for nature is beginning to turn. At a time when some are stepping back from international cooperation, the rest of us must step forward. Together we will demonstrate that protecting and restoring nature isn't just an environmental necessity; it's essential for our security, our economy, and our future."

The evidence is clear: nature and business don't just coexist—they need each other to thrive.