Harnessing nature tech for a nature-positive future: actionable steps for businesses

As global corporations and financial institutions grapple with the accelerating nature crisis, two new reports emerge as essential resources in guiding their path to a nature-positive future. Nature4Climate’s “Integrating Nature Tech: A Guide for Businesses” and ERM’s “The Nature Tech Revolution: The Tools to Move from ‘Do No Harm’ to ‘Nature-Positive’” provide a complementary vision for companies. They outline how businesses can leverage cutting-edge technology to integrate nature-positive principles – alongside their climate plans – across their operations and financial strategies.

While the challenges of biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and environmental risk are clear, the corporate journey towards effective action can feel overwhelming. This is where these reports step in. Both papers outline the importance of embracing nature-based solutions, yet they approach the issue from different but complementary angles. Together, they create a comprehensive roadmap for businesses to act decisively on nature and leverage the power of technology.

A complementary approach for businesses: what’s already here vs. what’s coming

The Nature4Climate report serves as a practical guide, offering businesses concrete actions they can take today to integrate nature tech into their operations. It focuses on the tools and technologies that are already available and scalable, making it clear how companies can begin to measure, manage, and mitigate their nature-related impacts. From using AI for biodiversity monitoring to leveraging satellite data for landscape restoration, the report provides step-by-step guidance on how to make nature-positive change a reality.

The ERM report offers a visionary outlook on what needs to be in place for companies to move from simply “doing no harm” to actively restoring ecosystems and delivering net-positive outcomes. It is a forward-looking discussion paper that reflects on the upcoming challenges in navigating regulatory landscapes, driving capital towards high-impact nature-positive activities, and integrating outcome-based metrics into corporate sustainability strategies.

Together, these two reports offer a joined-up perspective: while Nature4Climate provides a toolkit for immediate action, ERM charts the course for future innovation and regulatory alignment. For corporates and financial institutions, this dual approach offers both the tools for today and the strategic insights for tomorrow.

Driving corporate action: leveraging the power of nature tech

A critical theme across both reports is the role of nature tech—from AI and remote sensing to blockchain and satellite imagery—in accelerating corporate progress toward nature-positive outcomes. The ability to collect, analyze, and act on nature-related data has never been more accessible. Companies like Salesforce, Nestlé, and Planet are already using these technologies to map their environmental impact, restore biodiversity, and create new business models centered around sustainability.

For example, Nature4Climate’s report highlights how technology can streamline nature-based initiatives, such as reforestation or regenerative agriculture, providing companies with a practical blueprint to integrate nature-positive practices into their core operations. In contrast, ERM’s paper points to the strategic need for future-ready regulatory compliance, advanced outcome-based metrics, and the alignment of nature data with broader business goals, positioning nature-positive action as a key driver of corporate resilience.

Why now is the time to act

The business case for nature tech is clear. With over half of the world’s GDP directly dependent on nature, corporations that fail to address biodiversity risks are not only jeopardizing their operations but also missing out on a $10 trillion opportunity for nature-positive growth by 2030. Both reports emphasize that businesses must act swiftly, as regulations like the TNFD and the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) tighten the expectations around nature-related disclosure and risk management.

By reading and acting on the insights from these reports, companies can take a proactive stance. The practical steps offered by Nature4Climate enable businesses to start implementing solutions today, while the strategic foresight of ERM’s report ensures they are well-positioned to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving regulatory and environmental landscape.

In conclusion, Nature4Climate and ERM together provide a roadmap for the future of corporate sustainability, offering tools, strategies, and frameworks that will help businesses move beyond compliance and embrace a truly nature-positive approach. For corporates and financial institutions, the time to act is now.

READ MORE:

• The Nature Tech Directory: new database tracks 1,000 companies worldwide applying nature tech solutions
• The clock is ticking: finance sector deforestation action must now go mainstream
• Nature4Climate launches full version of its climate action platform naturebase
• How can nature tech help the private sector meet its climate and nature goals?