Now is the time to set up the means to fulfil our collective ambitions for nature

The recent Australian government’s signature of The Leader’s Pledge for Nature, which commits more than 90 countries to reversing biodiversity loss by 2030, is a powerful acknowledgement of nature’s intrinsic and societal values.

A few weeks ago, the State of the Environment report highlighted the dire state of Australia’s landscapes and ecosystems. By pledging to step up the global effort to halt deforestation and desertification, reduce pollution and tackle climate change, the Leader’s Pledge is a necessary and timely commitment to take concrete action to protect our unique environment.

We know what we need to do: science shows that to address the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, we need to commit to net zero, abandon unsustainable practices and embrace nature-positive tools and technologies.

However, as outlined in the Financing Nature report by The Nature Conservancy, the Paulson Institute and the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability,

With a grounding in science, we need to be able to pilot innovative conservation approaches and mobilise support quickly to scale them up if we want to make a difference. Just as we need to be innovative in our approaches to conservation, we need to work on innovative and impactful financial solutions that will back the success of our conservation efforts. This can only be achieved through a holistic, collaborative and inclusive approach in which governments, corporates, not-for-profits, philanthropists, financial institutions, communities and academics all have a role to play.

Now is the time to not only commit to protecting our environment, but also to give ourselves the means to fulfill our ambitions and collectively invest in nature.