8 tips on how companies can protect biodiversity

In February 2024, the first major law on the protection and restoration of ecological diversity was passed in the European Parliament. Biodiversity - an issue without which Europe's climate targets would be unthinkable to meet, which, contrary to many claims, also strengthens the economy and which every company can actively support.

What does biodiversity mean?

The term biodiversity, also known as biological diversity, encompasses the totality of all life forms at different levels of organization, from genes to species to ecosystems. Biodiversity can be divided into three different levels:

• Biodiversity, which refers to the variety of different organisms within an ecosystem.
• Genetic diversity, which describes the variation of genes within a species or between the species of an ecosystem.
• The diversity of ecosystems, which encompasses the different habitats in which various organisms exist.

Why the protection of biodiversity is important

Biodiversity is crucial for the well-being of our planet and all living things. As natural carbon sinks, forests, for example, make a significant contribution to tackling the climate crisis and ensure:

• clean air
• Filtered drinking water
• protection against natural disasters
• Habitat for many species
• Recreational space for us humans

Without the protection of biodiversity, all these forest services are at risk and our livelihoods are threatened.

The problem: ecological diversity is in danger

Biodiversity is declining worldwide. The cause: man-made. Up to 81 percent of European ecosystems are in poor or very poor condition ¹. The survivability of species is also dramatically poor: around 30 percent of all species are already extinct or threatened with extinction ². Compared to 1970, there are 60 percent fewer vertebrates on earth today. The number of flying insects in Germany has fallen by 75 percent since 1989 ³. Nevertheless, the Commission's proposal to restore nature was debated for almost a year and the EU restoration law to protect biodiversity was in danger of failing.

Policy objectives for the protection of biodiversity

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 30 to 50 percent of carbon-rich ecosystems such as forests and peatlands need to be restored in order to limit global warming to below two degrees ⁴. This has also been recognized by politicians, who have set themselves the goal of protecting at least 30 percent of the land area and 30 percent of marine areas in the EU with the EU Biodiversity Strategy presented in 2020. In addition, damaged ecosystems are to be restored and the use of pesticides reduced by 50 percent ⁵.

The economy also benefits significantly from greater protection of biodiversity:

1. Half of global economic power depends on the services provided by nature ⁶
2. By 2030, a new nature economy could create an annual enterprise value of over 10 trillion US dollars and generate 395 million jobs ⁷
3. Every euro invested in restoring nature brings a benefit of between 8 and 38 euros through drinking water or clean air ⁸

CO₂ footprint vs. handprint from companies

Companies not only benefit from protecting biodiversity, they can also actively support it. On the one hand, it is important to consider their own emissions in the form of a_{CO2 footprint}. On the other hand, companies have the opportunity to make an even greater, positive contribution to our environment.

The CO₂ footprint describes a company's negative impact on the environment, primarily in the form of greenhouse gas emissions. But it also includes water consumption, waste production and the use of natural resources in general. The larger the footprint, the greater the impact on the environment, nature and our climate.

The Handprint, on the other hand, can do even more good for our planet, as it refers to positive measures to protect our environment. This includes all active efforts for nature with a focus on protecting biodiversity. A company's handprint also includes promoting social projects and supporting climate protection projects to reduce CO₂ emissions.

8 practical tips on how your company can protect biodiversity and act sustainably

There are many effective measures that companies can take to increase their handprint and thus their positive impact on biodiversity. The aim should always be to have a larger handprint than footprint . These measures help to protect biodiversity:

1. Creation of flowering meadows: Flowering meadows provide important food sources for insects and pollinators and thus promote biodiversity.

2. Construction of insect hotels: Insect hotels create habitats for beneficial insects and support the pollination of plants.

3. Nature-oriented design of the company premises: A near-natural design creates a habitat for native animal species and promotes biodiversity.

4. Support for nature conservation projects: Financial support for nature conservation projects such as forest and moorland protection contributes to the preservation of endangered species, habitats and entire ecosystems. 

5. Green roofs: Green roofs provide additional habitats in urban areas and promote biodiversity and the urban climate.

6. Promotion of reforestation: Planting trees helps to restore habitats and promote biodiversity.

7. Sustainable procurement: Products from ecologically compatible sources reduce the pressure on endangered ecosystems and species.
   
   
8. Reduction of chemical pesticides: Not using pesticides protects insects and other animals from extinction.

Footprint and Handprint in one holistic solution

With the help of our Sustainability-as-a-Service solution, we enable companies to understand the extent of their footprint. The TÜV-certified calculation of the carbon footprint enables companies to identify their carbon hotspots. Individualized measures for internal reduction are then identified.

At the same time, companies can use Planted to have a positive impact on their handprint and specifically protect biodiversity. By promoting global climate protection projects, unavoidable emissions can be offset and at the same time the social life of the people on site of the projects can be supported. In addition, we plant mixed forests in Germany with our own climate forester and protect forests locally.

Planted enables companies not only to minimize their environmental impact, but also to actively contribute to the preservation and restoration of nature and to create sustainable ecosystems for us humans and all living beings. Would you like to find out more about our solutions for protecting biodiversity ? Book a free consultation.

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Sources:

¹ 81 percent of Europe's natural areas under acute threat | MDR.DE

² One third of all species extinct or threatened - BUND e.V.

Biodiversity | Max Planck Society (mpg.de)

⁴ Saving nature by law - Tagesspiegel Background

⁵ BMUV: Biodiversity in Europe

⁶ World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

⁷ 400 million new jobs by focusing on sustainable development | Moneycab

⁸ The EU #NatureRestoration Law (europa.eu)

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