Living in Harmony with Nature (Conservation of Biodiversity)
Management Approach
The loss of biodiversity poses an enormous global risk; an integrated response toward a net-zero and nature-positive world is vital
The Global Risks Report 2022 released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) ranks biodiversity loss as the third most severe risk globally, recognizing the loss of nature and biodiversity alongside climate change as a critical long-term threat. Viewing the creation of a nature-positive world as essential to addressing this issue, the G7 Summit held in June 2021 agreed on a G7 2030 Nature Compact, which includes a commitment to “halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030”. In Part 2 of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (hereinafter CBD-COP15), scheduled to be held in 2022, the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, which includes international targets for 2030, will also be adopted. Business groups such as the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and international environmental NGOs such as the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) have also announced a joint proposal with a target of achieving a nature-positive world by 2030. It is now considered vital that we not only have net-zero initiatives to counter climate change, but also integrated measures aimed at achieving a nature-positive world.
Assessing our impact on nature and biodiversity and setting targets to identify Fujitsu's high-impact business activities
In 2009, the Fujitsu Group formulated the Fujitsu Group Biodiversity Action Principles. Those principles state that our approach to doing business will “pursue the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources in our business activities” and will “contribute to building a society which ensures the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources”. Not only will we continually reduce the environmental impact of our business activities, but we will also utilize ICT to assist in the protection of endangered species and the conservation of tropical rainforests on an ongoing basis.
To achieve a nature-positive world, the Fujitsu Group also believes that no time should be lost in promoting such initiatives. As one of the targets in Stage X of our Environmental Action Plan, we have set a target for the conservation of nature and biodiversity, and we have initiated actions aimed at assessing and reducing our dependencies and impacts on ecosystems and on biodiversity.
FY2021 Performance
Target under the Fujitsu Group Environmental Action Plan (Stage X) | Results for FY2021 |
---|---|
Visualize and reduce the impact of corporate activities on ecosystems and on biodiversity | Based on global-level discussions, the assessment indicator of ‘Ecological Footprint’ was selected, and activities have commenced to establish the assessment methodology. |
Selection of ‘Ecological Footprint’ as the assessment indicator based on global-level discussions
Of the draft international targets for 2030 scheduled to be adopted at CBD-COP15, one very relevant goal for the business sector is target 15: “All businesses (public and private, large, medium and small) assess and report on their dependencies and impacts on biodiversity, from local to global, and progressively reduce negative impacts, by at least half and increase positive impacts, reducing biodiversity-related risks to businesses and moving towards the full sustainability of extraction and production practices, sourcing, and supply chains, and use and disposal (Reference "CBD/WG2020/3/3 FIRST DRAFT OF THE POST-2020 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FRAMEWORK" ).” Discussions on the assessment indicators for each of the targets were also held at the 24th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (hereinafter SBSTTA24), with ‘Ecological Footprint’ being proposed as one of the candidate indicators for target 15.
Following consideration of these and other global-level discussions, the Fujitsu Group selected Ecological Footprint as the assessment indicator for targets in its Environmental Action Plan (Stage X).
Examples of Initiatives in FY2021
In considering future initiatives, the Fujitsu Group believes that the most important factor is to align its plans with the trends of international initiatives and has accordingly identified the international trends outlined below. We also feel it is crucial that initiatives “work towards achieving a nature-positive world by 2030” and “contribute to attaining the 2030 targets in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework”. Therefore, in Stage X of the Fujitsu Group Environmental Action Plan, targets and indicators were selected that aligned with target 15 of the draft international targets for 2030.
We will continue to expand the range of our nature and biodiversity conservation activities in the future as we work toward achieving a nature-positive world by 2030.
Identifying International Trends – Nature-positive –
At the G7 Summit held in Cornwall, England in June 2021, the G7 nations agreed on the G7 2030 Nature Compact. This agreement included a commitment to “halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030”, and statements such as: “our world must not only become net zero, but also nature positive, for the benefit of both people and the planet”, and: “Nature, and the biodiversity that underpins it, ultimately sustains our economies, livelihoods and well-being.”
Fourteen organizations, including the WBCSD and the WWF, released a report titled ‘A Nature-Positive World: The Global Goal for Nature’, which set out three objectives: 1. Zero Net Loss of Nature from 2020; 2. Net Positive by 2030 (on a baseline of 2020); and 3. Full Recovery by 2050.
Global Goal for Nature: Nature Positive by 2030
Source: A Nature-Positive World: The Global Goal for Nature
Identifying International Trends – Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework –
The Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework currently under discussion includes international targets for 2030 that are scheduled to be adopted in Part 2 of CBD-COP15, slated for 2022. The initial draft report from Part 1 of CBD-COP15 was released in July 2021. The target in that initial draft that relates most closely to corporate activities is target 15. Candidate indicators for that target were discussed at SBSTTA24, and one of the proposed indicators was Ecological Footprint.
CO-CHAIRS’ SUMMARY AND PROPOSED LIST OF INDICATORS FOR CONSIDERATION IN DEVELOPING THE MONITORING FRAMEWORK
FOR THE POST-2020 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FRAMEWORKSource: CBD/SBSTTA/REC/24/2, March 27, 2022
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Conservation of Biodiversity