Investing in a Nature-positive, Net-zero and Equitable Global Economy

The document outlines the economic imperative for businesses to address biodiversity loss and land degradation alongside climate change. It highlights that over half of global GDP is dependent on nature and proposes a transition across food, energy, and infrastructure systems. The briefing advocates for the 'ACT-D' framework (assess, commit, transform, and disclose) and emphasizes the need for $700 billion in annual investment to reverse the biodiversity crisis, while ensuring a just transition that includes Indigenous peoples.

• Nature is a critical economic foundation, with more than 50% of the world's GDP, totaling $44 trillion, being moderately or highly dependent on nature and its services. Ecosystem services are estimated to be worth up to $125 trillion annually on a global scale.
• Climate goals cannot be met without addressing nature loss; land-use change, specifically deforestation driven by agricultural commodities, accounts for 12–20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) could provide 30% or more of emission mitigation targets, yet they currently receive less than 8% of global public climate finance.
• There is a significant gap in corporate targeting: while 83% of Fortune Global 500 companies have climate change targets, only 25% have targets for freshwater consumption and only 5% have targets for biodiversity loss.
• Reversing the global biodiversity crisis requires $700 billion per year, which represents less than 1% of global GDP and is a small fraction of the $5.2 trillion spent annually on fossil fuel subsidies.
• The document proposes a transition for three socioeconomic systems: food, land and ocean use; energy and extractives; and infrastructure and the built environment. Transitioning to a nature-positive economy by 2030 could unlock an annual business opportunity of $10.1 trillion.

APA

World Economic Forum (n.d.). Investing in a Nature-positive, Net-zero and Equitable Global Economy. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Nature_positive_CEO_Briefing.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Investing in a Nature-positive, Net-zero and Equitable Global Economy. n.d. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Nature_positive_CEO_Briefing.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Investing in a Nature-positive, Net-zero and Equitable Global Economy |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Nature_positive_CEO_Briefing.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforumndinvesting, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Investing in a Nature-positive, Net-zero and Equitable Global Economy}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Nature_positive_CEO_Briefing.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }