Manchester has taken centre stage in the global fight to protect nature, as scientists, governments, and business leaders from more than 150 countries concluded a landmark biodiversity summit with a clear message: businesses must act now to protect the natural world they depend on.
The meeting, known as IPBES 12, ended with the approval of a new Business and Biodiversity Assessment, a major scientific framework designed to guide companies on how to measure, manage, and reduce their impact on nature. The summit also delivered an estimated £3.1 million economic boost to Manchester, underlining how global environmental leadership can bring local benefits.
UK Nature Minister Mary Creagh described the agreement as a pivotal moment on the road to this year’s Biodiversity COP, warning that the ongoing destruction of nature poses a serious threat not just to ecosystems, but to economies and livelihoods around the world.
“Nature is the lifeblood of our economy,” she said. “The nature crisis represents a profound threat to our way of life, which is why the UK is committed to leading the way. This crucial new assessment, agreed by 150 countries, will help businesses understand the risks they face from nature degradation and the action they can take.”
The assessment is the result of three years of work by 80 expert authors from every region of the world. It is expected to become the global reference point for understanding how businesses depend on biodiversity and how their activities, across supply chains and industries, affect nature and the services it provides to people.
For the first time, decision-makers now have a shared scientific foundation to help companies assess risks, identify opportunities, set measurable targets, track progress, and be transparent about their nature-related commitments. As biodiversity loss accelerates, this kind of clarity is increasingly seen as essential for long-term business resilience.
The findings highlight a reality many communities, including those in the Global South and diaspora populations abroad, understand deeply: when nature suffers, people suffer too. From agriculture and food prices to flooding, health, and employment, the decline of ecosystems has far-reaching consequences that do not stop at national borders.
For diaspora communities living in the UK, particularly Africans and others with strong ties to countries already facing climate and environmental stress, the discussions in Manchester resonate beyond policy rooms. Decisions taken by global businesses and governments can directly affect farmland back home, coastal communities, food security, and economic stability for families across continents.
The UK government says it will continue working with the private sector to turn science into action. Following the launch of an Overarching Principles Standard for nature markets last year, ministers will now work with the British Standards Institution to develop further investment standards aimed at boosting confidence in nature-positive finance.
There are also plans to help businesses better understand and address environmental impacts across their supply chains, including through the UK-backed Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures. The aim is to ensure that companies are not only aware of how much they rely on nature, but are also held accountable for protecting it.
As the world moves closer to the Biodiversity COP later this year, the message from Manchester is clear. Protecting nature is no longer a side issue for governments or businesses. It is central to economic stability, global equity, and the future wellbeing of communities everywhere.
For Chijos News readers across the diaspora, this moment is a reminder that global environmental decisions taken in cities like Manchester can shape lives far beyond the UK, influencing economies, ecosystems, and futures both abroad and back home.
