BFBI at the UK Business & Biodiversity Forum Summit

Dr Maria Fitzpatrick at the UK Business & Biodiversity Forum Summit, with BFBI Director Edward Pollard, and the UK Forum’s Mark Johnston and Paul Harrison.

BFBI Executive Director Dr Maria Fitzpatrick attended the UK Business & Biodiversity Forum Summit at the Palace of Westminster and Arup in London, on November 3-4 – for discussions on how to engage and support businesses of every size and sector to move to a nature-positive, resilient future?

After two days of exchanging insights on how Ireland and the UK are progressing business action on biodiversity, in association with Lloyds Banking Group and Mott McDonald, here are Maria’s key summit takeaways:

Nature loss is economic loss. The UK’s Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) now recognises this, and government action needs to be matched by business, from understanding impacts and dependencies to managing risk.
Finance is driving the conversation. UK nature markets are leading the way (Biodiversity Net Gain is a good example), but integrity, clear demand and certainty of returns will decide whether they scale.
The barrier isn’t willingness, it’s literacy and capacity. I asked who wasn’t in the room. Many businesses, especially SMEs, need support to take the first step.
Nature isn’t just critical infrastructure, it’s shared infrastructure. It reduces risk and builds resilience for all of us, so no single organisation can deliver for it alone.

Nature doesn’t stop at borders, and neither should our collaboration. Whether it’s UK businesses working in Ireland or partnerships through COP17, the synergies between organisations, sectors and countries are where the real progress will come from.

Who is missing from nature conversations, and how do we bring them in?

Irish organisations can find out more about supports for nature-related strategy and action by signing up with BFBI. Or contact Maria on manager@businessforbiodiversity.ie to discuss the options for your business.

With thanks to Edward Pollard, Mark Johnston, UKBFF Chair Paul Harrison and all the team at the UK Business & Biodiversity Forum.