Church Commissioners help develop global biodiversity programme

21/06/2021

The Church Commissioners have started work with key partners across the investment landscape to create a new programme to promote biodiversity globally.

Working with Robeco and other investors, this programme will learn from the Climate Action 100+ (CA100+) model, which is an investor-led initiative to ensure the world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters take necessary action on climate change, but have a distinct nature focus. The programme, dubbed Nature Action 100, will become a platform for change and collaboration, bringing investors together for collective engagement with companies.

Tackling biodiversity loss is in line with the Commissioners’ duties as a responsible steward of assets and the fifth Mark of Mission: to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth. This work to tackle the challenges of biodiversity loss is guided by the recognition that humanity, and by extension the markets, do not adequately value all the services and resources the natural world currently provides.

Harry Ashman, Engagement Analyst for the Church Commissioners said: 
“We firmly believe that the biodiversity and climate crises must be tackled in tandem, and aim to learn from and replicate the success of CA100+ to form an ambitious platform with consistent engagement objectives on the subject of biodiversity. 

“Earlier this year we became the first investor globally to support the development of Science Based Targets for Nature and hope to see this framework as a key part of a Nature Action 100 programme, alongside the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).” 

The Church Commissioners recently launched a renewed strategy to focus engagement on two strands: ‘Respect for the Planet’ and ‘Respect for People.’