Global businesses are undermining the environment even though they rely on nature for key raw materials and critical services such as pollination and water filtration, according to a major report endorsed by more than 150 countries.
“A focus on growth as measured by the gross domestic product” has resulted in significant damage to the natural world, says the study released on Monday. Nearly 80 scientists and industry experts spent three years working on the report, which is designed to inform investment decisions and national policies.
The report was agreed upon by researchers and diplomats at the summit of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which concluded in Manchester, UK, on Sunday.