Simplify Sustainability Practices for a Greener Future
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The Symphony of Life
In a world, both ancient and new,
Life was simple, connections were true.
The trees whispered tales in the wind,
Of a bond with nature, unbroken, not thinned.
Along came man, with desire in his heart,
He built his empire, tearing nature apart.
Forests were felled, rivers were tamed,
In the name of progress, nature was maimed.
Yet amidst the noise, a silent plea,
A cry from nature, longing to be free.
From the chains of plunder, the wounds of misuse,
Her wealth isn't ours, to recklessly abuse.
An old man watched from the hillside, wise,
His gaze full of sorrow, disappointment in his eyes.
He remembered a time, when the earth was pure,
Man respected nature, the bond was sure.
We trade her gifts for trinkets and gold,
Blind to the magic that her mysteries hold.
Her worth is greater than any treasure,
A truth we forget in our quest for pleasure.
Yet, he thought, it's not too late,
To change our ways, to alter fate.
For in each of us, there's a choice to be made,
To heal the earth, or let her fade.
Remember, the forest is more than trees,
It's the whisper of leaves, carried by the breeze.
It's the call of the wild, the bloom of the spring,
In nature's orchestra, we are but one string.
For the companies tall, and governments wide,
The power to change is by your side.
Adopt the targets, for nature be kind,
The success of us all, in this, you'll find.
Will we stand by and let the earth weep?
Or wake from this destructive sleep?
In the echo of nature's timeless hymn,
The choice is yours, it starts from within.
In this symphony of life, we each play a part,
What tune will you play, asks Baibhav, with a heavy heart?
The WWF’s Living Planet Report 2022 finds wildlife populations have declined by an average 69% in the past 50 years.
More than 1 million of the estimated 8 million plant and animal species are threatened with extinction, many within decades, due to human activities (Source: IPBES, 2019).
The Amazon Rainforest, often referred to as the "lungs of the Earth", has lost approximately 17% of its forest cover in the last 50 years due to deforestation for agriculture (Source: WWF).
The global population of fish, birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles declined by 68% between 1970 and 2016 (Source: WWF's Living Planet Report 2020).
Climate change, primarily driven by human activities, is exacerbating nature loss. The past decade (2011-2020) has been the hottest on record, while concentrations of major greenhouse gases continue to increase (Source: WMO State of the Global Climate 2020).
More than 75% of the Earth's land surface is significantly altered, 66% of the ocean area is experiencing increasing cumulative impacts, and over 85% of wetlands (area) have been lost (Source: IPBES, 2019).
As per the World Economic Forum, more than half of the world's GDP – $44 trillion – is moderately or highly dependent on nature and its services.
These facts underscore the urgent need to transition towards more sustainable, nature-positive practices. The stark realities of biodiversity loss, climate change, and the impact on human societies are what fuel the emotions behind the poem. It is a call for reflection and action for individuals, companies, and governments alike to play their part in the symphony of life and steer us toward a more harmonious and sustainable future.
Here are some resources you may find helpful:
https://sciencebasedtargetsnetwork.org/resources/#target-setting-guidance-for-companies
Here you will find the latest guidance from the Science Based Targets Network for companies to take ambitious and measurable action for nature.
Onboarding support for companies
Corporate Engagement Program – Information on joining our Corporate Engagement Program
Service providers: Service Providers – Get expert help setting science-based targets for nature
Onboarding content:
Overview – Overview of onboarding materials and resources to get companies ready
Corporate insights – Find out how companies are preparing to set science-based targets for nature
Overview of science-based targets for nature – Interactive overview of science-based targets for nature for sharing
Data needs table – Resource to readily identify step-by-step data needs for companies
Target-setting guidance for companies
Essential resources throughout target-setting
Guide for Readers – Steps 1-3 technical guidance overview
Stakeholder Engagement Guidance – Local stakeholder engagement guidance to assist companies in target setting (beta)
SBTN Glossary – Glossary of terms used in Steps 1-3
Biodiversity overview – Short paper summarizing the coverage of biodiversity within the first science-based targets for nature and next steps
Data needs table – Resource to readily identify step-by-step data needs for companies
Data and tool criteria – General resource informing the rationale for selected data and tools for target-setting
Step 1: Assess
Overview – Introduction to Step 1: Assess
Technical Guidance – Technical content to complete Step 1: Assess
Step 1 Toolbox – Tools to support companies in completing Step 1
Materiality Screening Tool – Tool to aid in initial corporate sector-level screening of environmental impacts
High Impact Commodity List – A list of most common environmental impacts associated with the production of major commodities
Step 2: Interpret & Prioritize
Overview – Introduction to Step 2: PrioritizeTechnical Guidance – Technical content to complete Step 2: Prioritize
Step 3: Measure, Set & Disclose Targets
Overview – Introduction to Step 3: Set & Disclose Targets
Freshwater Technical Guidance – Technical content to complete Step 3: Set freshwater targets
Freshwater FAQs – Technical FAQs for Step 3: Set freshwater targets
Land Technical Guidance – Technical content to complete Step 3: Set land targets (beta)
Land FAQs – Technical FAQs for Step 3: Set land targets
Natural Lands Map Document – Technical document relating to the natural lands map
Natural Lands Map – Identifies natural lands across the world to support no conversion of natural ecosystems target-setting
Biodiversity Paper – Short paper summarizing the coverage of biodiversity within the first science-based targets for nature and next steps
Climate targets (via SBTi) – Guidance to set science-based emissions reduction targets through Science Based Targets initiative
Target validation – Submitting your targets for validation
Step 4: Act
Overview – Introduction to Step 4: Act
Response options – Potential response options, or actions, companies could take in support of freshwater and land target implementation
Step 5: Track
Overview – high-level guidance from the Initial Guidance for Business (2020)
Guidance for cities
Target-setting guidance for cities: Science-based climate targets: A guide for cities – This new guide supports cities worldwide to develop science-based climate targets and provides guidance on updating existing targets.