Last week, Manchester hosted the 12^th plenary of IPBES (the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) – the biodiversity equivalent of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

IPBES brings together world-leading experts to assess the state of nature and provide governments with authoritative evidence. Hosting the plenary in the UK created a rare opportunity: to bring global science, UK policymakers and major businesses into the same room to focus on reversing nature loss. 
 

This year’s plenary focused on the Business and Biodiversity Assessment Report

The centrepiece of IPBES 12 was the finalisation of the Business and Biodiversity Assessment Report. 

The process – typical of UN negotiations – involved line-by-line discussions, with member states intervening as needed. Some nations remained silent, while others, notably the Democratic Republic of Congo, contributed frequently. The inclusive, democratic nature of the process was striking and reaffirmed my confidence in multilateral environmental governance.

The report was formally approved on 8^th February and makes it clear that businesses are central to halting and reversing biodiversity loss. Their message aligned closely with what conservation organisations have long been saying: nature is fundamental to our health, economy and long-term stability.

The report urges businesses and governments to reduce negative impacts and improve practices, but it also aims to inspire more proactive contributions to the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). 

I’ve seen the business community increasingly reference the GBF in recent years. Many individuals within businesses genuinely want to contribute. Our sector must help them do so - urgently.

In the report, the world’s leading scientists and experts are clear: nature underpins our ability to thrive as a nation - from our health to our economy - and the collapse of global ecosystems threatens our very way of life. Business as usual is not an option. 

For the UK conservation sector, we can use the powerful, science-based evidence in the report to: 

• strengthen calls for cross-government action on nature, not only Defra government action on nature‑government action on nature
• encourage and support businesses to act for nature 

Interestingly, some of the strongest calls for whole-government action came from UK business leaders themselves.

Building a stronger bridge between global policy and local action

I was delighted that colleagues Wildlife Trusts Wales, Lancashire, Cheshire, Manx, Scottish and Surrey Wildlife Trusts attended, along with other members of the central Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT). 

A major outcome of the week was a renewed realisation of how vital it is for The Wildlife Trusts to be active participants in global processes like IPBES. Our delegation left convinced that we should engage more, from contributing biodiversity data, to collaborating with researchers and amplifying IPBES findings. 

This really matters because global decisions influence national policy. By closing the gap between global science and local delivery we can help to drive effective action for nature in the UK. 

Strengthening partnerships with business and civil society

What unfolded in Manchester was a rare convergence of world-leading scientists, 153 governments and major UK businesses, all aligned around the need to step up for biodiversity.

Sessions hosting by and conversations with organisations such as Aviva, Lloyds Bank, RSPB, UKCEH and the Global Youth Biodiversity Network showcased the energy across sectors to work together for nature.

Our small display on the Aviva Temperate Rainforest project - an example of impactful corporate partnership - sparked valuable conversations. Being positioned next to the RSPB led to a “joint table” and reinforced the potential for deeper collaboration with our conservation allies.

Momentum is building and The Wildlife Trusts have a key role in shaping what comes next. 
 

A call for urgent action

As the Business and Biodiversity Assessment Report sets out, the UK Government and businesses alike must urgently step up to act for nature, putting the policies and frameworks in place to drive progress towards a thriving natural world. 

It’s time that Westminster dropped its dangerous pursuit of anti-nature rhetoric and instead empowered the collective, meaningful action needed across society, including the business community, to secure a stable and resilient future.
 

What comes next for The Wildlife Trusts?

IPBES 12 helped demonstrate to colleagues across the Wildlife Trusts federation why international biodiversity governance is directly relevant to their work, whether they’re restoring peatlands, managing local reserves or influencing local policy.

When I joined the organisation in 2025, very few Wildlife Trust leaders were familiar with IPBES – myself included! This week marked real progress. IPBES 12 was an opportunity to demonstrate the relevance of global biodiversity governance to our federation and to build momentum for “international” being important for every Wildlife Trust’s work. 

This week has undoubtedly moved us forward on our journey to embedding international relevance across The Wildlife Trusts.

The Wildlife Trusts believe that by working with businesses who share our concern for the environment we can achieve more for wildlife together than we would on our own. 

How we work with businesses