La nature du business

The report argues that large corporations, despite being primary drivers of biodiversity loss, have infiltrated UN processes and the CBD to promote 'green' coalitions and non-binding solutions. It details lobbying tactics such as the use of 'revolving doors', the co-optation of NGOs, and the infiltration of national delegations. The document highlights the contradiction of organizations like the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) representing companies with severe environmental records. It concludes that corporate capture of the CBD prevents the 'transformative change' needed to halt biodiversity loss and recommends strict limits on corporate influence, including banning corporate representatives from national delegations and ending UN partnerships with business associations.

• Corporations employ a wide array of tactics to influence the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including direct lobbying of parties, the use of 'revolving doors', funding UN activities, and the manipulation of concepts through public-private partnerships.
• Corporate interests are often obscured by the creation of 'green' coalitions and partnerships with international nature conservation organizations, such as IUCN, WWF, and Conservation International, which may have close ties to business through funding or board membership.
• The biotechnology industry has specifically targeted the CBD and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, using groups like the Public Research and Regulation Initiative (PRRI) to block guidance documents on biosafety and influence positions on gene drive moratoria.
• Corporate infiltration extends to national delegations; for example, at COP14 in Sharm-el-Sheikh, at least six African delegations included members sponsored by biotechnology lobby groups such as Target Malaria or ISAAA.
• The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) presents itself as a leader in sustainability while including members accused of severe biodiversity damage, such as Vale (mining disasters in Brazil), BP (Deepwater Horizon), and Unilever (deforestation for palm oil).
• Corporations promote 'solutions' that avoid compromising their business models, such as 'Nature positive', 'Nature-based Solutions', and 'net gain' offsets, which the report characterizes as ineffective and designed to protect profits.
• The current draft of the Global Biodiversity Framework shows evidence of corporate lobbying, specifically in its preference for non-binding actions, market mechanisms, and weak monitoring systems.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2022). La nature du business. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/La-Nature-du-business-summary-FoEI.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. La nature du business. 2022. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/La-Nature-du-business-summary-FoEI.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=La nature du business |date=December 2022 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/La-Nature-du-business-summary-FoEI.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2022nature, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{La nature du business}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2022}, month = dec, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/La-Nature-du-business-summary-FoEI.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }