Sustainable Environment

Sustainable Business: Transformative Change and Nature-Based Solutions To Prioritize Biodiversity In Business

Biodiversity loss has been reported for several decades and the IPBES reports are alerting for an unprecedent rate of species extinctions and irreversible environmental damages. Five direct drivers of change in nature have accounted for more than 90% of nature loss in the past 50 years: land use change, use of natural resources, climate change, pollution, and invasive species. The global economy has expanded at the cost of nature deterioration, sometimes reaching planetary boundaries. The World Economic Forum estimated in 2020 that half of the world’s GDP is moderately or highly dependent on nature and its services. All sectors are impacting nature directly or indirectly through their operations and supply chains. Target 15 of the Kumming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework is calling business to assess, disclose, and reduce biodiversity-related risks and negative impacts.

Biodiversity is one of the most complex challenges to be addressed by business because of the interconnection with several drivers of loss, the complexity of the monitoring, the long-time dimension, and the identification of mitigation measures. Although several frameworks with financial and regulatory incentives are being developed, it is still very difficult to ensure “Nature Positive” strategies and to demonstrate a shift of business models that would serve the three dimensions of social, economic, and environmental benefits. This has become a tremendous opportunity for research and innovations: circular economy, new agricultural practices, shift to carbon-free energies, and green and blue economies are all areas under development. The research community is keen to maintain compliance with new regulations and share good practices, inventions, and experiences that would support the necessary shift. The importance of indigenous knowledge and local communities is finally highlighted, not only for preservation purposes but also to support a transformation towards sustainable businesses.

The Collection welcomes articles displaying research results, examples, challenges, and opportunities for transformative changes in business activities. Application and extension of nature-based solution standards and methodologies for social and economic sectors are foreseen. As part of these research projects, the Collection is looking for new methods, indicators developed for the private sector to identify and monitor impacts and dependencies on biodiversity. Examples of case studies with restoration activities including private sector are welcome. The proposed articles may address the integration of Indigenous Knowledge and Local Communities (IKLC) into business transformation plans. Examples of biodiversity development action plans as risk management processes fit with the objectives of the Collection. In the same way, the private sector’s contributions to Regional / National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) are expected, especially when connected with research projects. Finally, critical analysis of Policy regulations, biodiversity credits mechanisms as tools to effectively manage natural resources when connected with business activities are high topics of interest and the role of business in the management of natural resources (e.g., wildlife).

Accepted article types: Research Article, Review Article, Data Notes, Methods, Registered Report

Keywords:

1. Transformative change
2. Nature-based Solutions
3. Local Communities
4. Private sector
5. Restoration
6. Illegal Wildlife trade (IWT)

­­All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisor for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member).

Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is April 24, 2026.

Please contact Commissioning Editor Kara Roberts at Kara.Roberts@taylorandfrancis.com with any queries and discount codes regarding this Article Collection.

Please be sure to select the appropriate Article Collection from the drop-down menu in the submission system.

Dr. Enrici is an environmental engineer with the first part of her career dedicated to ecotoxicology and the environmental risk assessment of chemicals in both private and public sectors. For the last ten years, she has worked on professional and voluntary activities to use science in supporting regulatory development and transforming business into sustainable activities and engaging into biodiversity conservation. She is the lead author in the Business and Biodiversity IPBES assessment report.

Prof. Mouslim is a Professor specializing in Ecology and Environmental Sciences, and a member of the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management. Prof. Mouslim's research spans a wide range of interdisciplinary fields, including ecology, biodiversity, climate change, natural ecosystems management, citizen science, zoonoses, public health, and the illegal wildlife trade. Prof. Mouslim published 54 peer-reviewed articles in these domains.

Dr. Prasath's research covers a wide range of interests related to the interactions between organisms and carbon and nutrient cycling in marine pelagic and benthic environments. Dr. Prasath's primary focus is on harmful algal blooms (HABs), different phytoplankton genera cause these and can affect humans, other mammals or fish health as they produce natural bio toxins among other ways. Dr. Prastath's current research is focused on coastal water conservation and management. Work in progress involves studying of blue carbon ecosystems (salt marshes, mangroves, sea grasses) response to climate change, water quality management of coastal waters and harmful algal blooms.

Guest Advisors declare no potential conflicts of interests in line with our Editorial Policies.