At COP26, connecting the climate and nature agendas

Protecting biodiversity and adopting nature-based solutions: Both play a critical role in addressing climate change and therefore cannot be ignored. This is a key theme we heard repeated at COP26, the U.N.’s big climate conference that took place in Glasgow over the first two weeks of November.

In this episode of ESG Insider, we explore the emerging dialogue on climate change and nature-based considerations. For example, 92% of country climate pledges, known as Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs, submitted for COP26 included nature in their plans, Capitals Coalition CEO Mark Gough tells us. The Capitals Coalition advocates for companies to identify, measure and value their impacts and dependencies on natural capital, social capital and human capital.

"Climate change is a driver for nature change," says Mark. "But also, nature can help to drive the changes that we want to see in the climate to make improvements there."

In this episode, we also talk with Sarah Bratton Hughes, Global Head of Sustainability Solutions at UK-based asset management firm Schroders. She outlines how the firm is moving to reduce deforestation risks in its portfolios.

And we'll hear how hard-to-decarbonize sectors such as steel and chemicals use nature to help meet their climate targets from Anthony Hobley, who is co-executive director of the Mission Possible Platform, a partnership between the World Economic Forum and the Energy Transitions Commission.

For further coverage of COP26, listen to the podcast episode on Article 6 here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-cop26-why-article-6-matters-to-companies-and-investors/id1475521006?i=1000539436647

And listen to the podcast episode where we interviewed the co-chair of the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, or TNFD, here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-new-task-force-in-town-tnfd-co-chair-talks/id1475521006?i=1000528412510

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