Urban Nature Positive is becoming an increasingly important agenda for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, particularly Target 12. As more than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, urban green and blue spaces need to be recognized not only as landscape or amenity assets, but also as essential natural capital that supports biodiversity, climate adaptation, health and well-being, and local resilience.

In Japan, the Japan Business Initiative for Biodiversity, JBIB, was launched in 2008 as a voluntary corporate initiative for biodiversity conservation. Soon after its establishment, JBIB developed the Guidelines for Sustainable Business Sites to help companies assess, manage, and enhance biodiversity at their business sites. Based on these guidelines, the Association for Business Innovation in harmony with Nature and Community, ABINC, was established to operate a certification scheme for biodiversity-conscious business sites, and more than 200 sites have now been certified.

While the initial focus was mainly on factory sites and corporate premises, the scope has expanded to offices, shopping centers, residential complexes, urban districts, logistics facilities, and other corporate and urban spaces. This evolution shows that corporate sites can function as part of wider urban ecological networks and contribute to biodiversity conservation and restoration beyond conventional protected areas.

With growing momentum around Nature Positive, ABINC is also developing new criteria and certification approaches to assess corporate contributions to halting and reversing biodiversity loss. This side event will reflect on more than 15 years of experience by JBIB and ABINC, and discuss how companies can contribute to Urban Nature Positive through the quality, connectivity, management, monitoring, and community value of urban green spaces.

The event will also invite collaboration with the Global Partnership for Business and Biodiversity, GPBB, in which JBIB participates, and encourage GPBB members who are working on, or interested in, Urban Nature Positive to join the discussion. By sharing Japan’s experience and connecting it with international corporate initiatives, the event aims to contribute to the implementation of GBF Target 12, as well as Targets 14 and 15, and to explore opportunities for scaling up corporate action for biodiversity in urban areas.