Speaker: Louise Kjellerup, CEO of Volans, hosted by Fergal Byrne, The Sustainability Agenda.
The Sustainable Value Chains podcast series features senior sustainability experts and executives who explore a wide range of environmental, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement issues and look at how companies can develop more sustainable value chains.
Available on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts
In the latest episode of the Sustainable Value Chains podcast, Fergal Byrne speaks with Louise Kjellerup Roper, CEO of Volans, about the evolving role of nature-based solutions (NBS) in creating sustainable value chains. Volans, a think tank and advisory firm, supports organizations in transitioning to more regenerative practices by offering tools, networks and strategies to transform business systems. Ms. Roper explains how NBS have gained attention as essential for addressing the intertwined challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation.
Ms. Roper begins by clarifying the concept of nature-based solutions, which focus on utilizing natural ecosystems to address complex environmental issues while benefiting communities and economies. NBS differ from traditional methods by relying on restoration and sustainable management of natural systems rather than artificial solutions like concrete barriers. For instance, planting trees along coastlines to reduce flood risks provides ecosystem benefits while building resilience for local communities. NBS also enhance biodiversity, help mitigate climate change, and reduce extreme weather impacts.
Roper highlights how this approach is gaining traction as a cost-effective, long-term alternative to conventional infrastructure. Unlike human-engineered systems, natural ecosystems have evolved over millions of years to offer stable, resilient outcomes. By embracing NBS, businesses can reduce operational risks, enhance ecosystem services, and improve their resilience. This growing interest is particularly relevant to sectors like agriculture and energy. She cites examples from companies such as Danone, which has integrated regenerative agriculture practices to support soil health and sustainable food production, and Ørsted, which has committed to biodiversity-positive goals in its offshore wind projects.
The conversation also addresses challenges in measuring the impact of NBS, especially when compared to carbon-focused metrics. While carbon emissions can be quantified in financial terms, the value of biodiversity is complex and multi-dimensional. This creates hurdles for organizations accustomed to evaluating sustainability investments with simplified metrics. Ms. Roper suggests that advancing NBS may require businesses to adopt broader frameworks for assessing their value, such as those offered by emerging initiatives like the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and the Science-Based Targets Network (SBTN). Such frameworks can aid in assessing dependencies on and impacts of nature, helping companies establish effective nature strategies.
Ms. Roper underscores the importance of a mindset shift within businesses, advocating for a focus on local contexts rather than generic global solutions. She explains that organizations need to understand the specific ecosystems in which they operate, as NBS are inherently place-based. For businesses just beginning their journey, she recommends mapping local landscapes to identify their natural dependencies and contributions, understanding how they can enhance ecosystems through place-specific solutions, and engaging stakeholders from local communities. Collaboration with local actors is crucial to maximizing the co-benefits of NBS, which include health, resilience and economic advantages.
A significant part of the discussion is devoted to the rising urgency for businesses to integrate NBS into their core strategies. This urgency is partly driven by regulatory and market shifts, such as biodiversity credits and the UK's Biodiversity Net Gain regulation, which encourage investment in natural capital. Roper notes that companies should anticipate even stronger regulatory mandates for biodiversity and ecosystem preservation in the coming years, making early adoption of NBS a strategic advantage.
In concluding, Ms. Roper emphasizes that NBS are not only critical for achieving sustainability goals but also necessary for the survival of businesses in the face of escalating climate risks. By adopting NBS, businesses can ensure long-term viability while actively contributing to biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, and resilience. The episode serves as a call to action for companies to rethink their environmental responsibilities, recognizing that the success of human enterprises is ultimately interwoven with the health of the planet's ecosystems.
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