A ‘nature-positive’ future envisions a world in which human activities halt further ecological degradation and restore and regenerate natural ecosystems. To achieve this, we must transform the way we interact with our environment, and data is emerging as a powerful tool in guiding these efforts.

Data plays a crucial role in the monitoring and understanding of the intricate web of ecosystems that support life on earth. From monitoring ecosystems and predicting conservation outcomes, to guiding sustainable land use and engaging the public in conservation efforts, data-driven approaches are shaping the way we interact with the natural world.

For example, in late February this year, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Authority reported a mass coral bleaching event; the fifth in eight years. The authority’s monitoring of the reef is only possible because of satellite data that tracks the impact of global heating.

Data-driven farming, also known as precision agriculture, helps farmers reduce their environmental footprint and increase productivity. Sensors, drones, and data analytics help improve soil health, conserve water, reduce the use of pesticides and fertilisers and optimise crop management. According to the World Economic Forum, precision-technology farming and other nature-based solutions such as sustainable fisheries management could yield USD 10.1 trillion in business opportunities and create 395 million jobs by 2030.

‘Citizen science’ projects allow volunteers to collect data for environmental research. Through smartphones and online platforms, they can report wildlife sightings, weather events and more.

Global projects like eBird, Zooniverse and ClimateWatch, and in Australia,  iNaturalistAU, the Atlas of Living Australia and the Australian Museum’s FrogID project, are providing valuable data for researchers, scientists and policymakers.

Data-driven policymaking is foundational to a nature-positive future. Governments can use accurate data to design and allocate resources efficiently, implement conservation policies and track progress towards sustainability goals. One of the more exciting projects of this kind is the virtual model or digital twin that has been created of Tasmania.

A joint venture between 42-24, a subsidiary of the state-owned TasNetworks, and Enzen Australia, it will fly planes equipped with remote sensing technology to capture Lidar data; a type of remote sensing that uses lasers to measure the density and type of vegetation, contours of the land and water flows.

The data model will attach an individual identification number to each of Tasmania’s two billion trees. And because flights will be repeated every year for a decade, recapturing the data will allow researchers to monitor the growth and health of these trees.

Government agencies and businesses using the model’s real-time data will also be able to plug in weather forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology. This will allow them to predict which areas are likely to flood or face wind damage when extreme weather is forecast, and how bushfires may behave.

It will be the first time that a land mass the size of Tasmania will be modelled in this way.

In the corporate world, the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, and in Australia, the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER), are widely accepted and relatively straightforward frameworks that support companies’ emissions reporting. However, no similar consensus exists for nature data, primarily because measuring biodiversity is inherently difficult, due to its complex links to business operations and a lack of agreement on trade-offs between biodiversity conservation and potential adverse social impacts.

Last September saw the launch of the Taskforce for Nature Related Financial Disclosure’s (TNFD) final framework, which identifies the varied biomes, assets and services that comprise nature. This is intended to help decision-makers assess how their organisations impact nature, and how they interact with the benefits it provides.  

To adopt and operationalise this new approach to nature, the TNFD’s aptly named ‘LEAP’ framework allows organisations to identify and assess their nature-related risks and opportunities.

As more and more businesses acknowledge their impact and dependencies on nature, the need for precise and meaningful nature data becomes more apparent. In addition to new business and employment opportunities, nature-based solutions – the use of natural assets to tackle socio-environmental issues – may provide more than a third of the climate mitigation needed by 2030 to stabilise global warming below 2°C, according to a report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

There is no doubt frameworks like the TNFD will encourage progress in the field of nature data. However, several questions remain unanswered. These include:

• Measuring impacts along the entire value chain: How can businesses effectively gauge biodiversity impacts across their entire value chain, encompassing investments, upstream activities and downstream impacts?
• Allocating responsibility: What constitutes the appropriate scope for impacts covered by corporate-level targets in intricate value chains, and how should responsibility be allocated among different actors?
• Handling uncertainty: What methods and metrics are best suited for quantifying and incorporating uncertainty when the impacts of businesses on biodiversity are assessed?
• Defining baselines: How should companies define the appropriate baseline against which targets are set and progress measured?
• Cross-sector comparisons: How can companies measure impacts and outcomes consistently across diverse sectors?
• Data sharing and incentivisation: How can companies be incentivised to share data and outcomes of their nature-positive strategies in ways that expedite effective conservation?

By addressing these questions, and more effectively using nature data to transform the way we interact with natural ecosystems, policymakers, governments, businesses and conservationists can together construct a more sustainable future for our economy, society and planet.          

About the author

Derryn Heilbuth is the Executive Chair of sustainability consultancy BWD Strategic. A former journalist and corporate communications professional, Derryn founded the company over three decades ago. It helps major corporates in Australia, Asia and the US, build organisational resilience and long-term value by helping them: assess their risks and opportunities; develop sustainability strategies that measure their impact; and disclose their progress through reporting that is aligned with the latest global standards and frameworks. BWD Strategic has offices in Sydney, Brisbane, New York and Arizona. 

Derryn Heilbuth will moderate a session titled "Trusted data for nature positive?" at the IoT Impact conference in Sydney on June 13, 2024. See the conference agenda and book your ticket.