Presentation of biodiversity indicators for investors

Fondaction, CDPQ, Biodiversité Québec and the Société pour la Nature et les parcs (SNAP Québec) today unveiled at the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) the results of an unprecedented collaboration between the worlds of finance, research and civil society.

Nine biodiversity indicators that are designed to provide additional information for investment purposes, as well as their methodologies, were announced at Place Québec in Cali.

The nine biodiversity indicators are relevant tools for Québec investors, providing them with basic information on local biodiversity to guide their decision-making. They can be used to measure the impact of a project (e.g. industrial, commercial, real estate, transportation) on:
1)    Ecosystem services provided within the concerned perimeter
2)    Status species;
3)    Conservation
4)    Habitat loss
5)    Pollution
6)    Introduction and spread of invasive alien species
7)    Ecological connectivity
8)    Total level of disturbance
9)    Destruction of natural carbon sinks

The impact of investments on natural environments can therefore be modeled using precise and practical indicators. The methodology booklet, available on the Biodiversité Québec website, presents the definitions, interpretations, methodologies and sources of the data used.

The themes identified for these indicators are aligned with the targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework for Biodiversity, and the recommendations of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). The originality of the approach lies in the highly local nature of the indicators, which complement those of a global nature that are more commonly used in portfolio analysis.

Since 2022, with the support of the ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs and the ministère de l'Économie, de l'Innovation et de l'Énergie, Fondaction, CDPQ, Biodiversité Québec and SNAP Québec are leading this vast collaborative project to develop biodiversity indicators specific to Québec. This is a unique effort involving a sub-national state and non-governmental players.

The indicators presented today now enter a process of large-scale testing and continuous improvement.

QUOTES

“At a time when we urgently need to counter the collapse of the living world and restore a balance between human needs and planetary limits, this original collaboration provides a local response to the urgent need to act. Developed with a public science and open data approach, the indicators will make it possible to estimate impacts on biodiversity upstream, and to make better-informed investment choices.” 
- Diego Creimer, Director, Finance and Biodiversity, SNAP Québec

“To change finance, you have to let yourself be influenced by civil society. We see great value in maintaining an ongoing dialogue with leaders from different backgrounds. Financiers have a responsibility to direct capital towards sustainable projects, but they alone cannot define this sustainability, nor can they alone develop the innovations required to address the issues at stake. By bringing together scientists, environmentalists and financiers, we have been able to create practical, applicable indicators to truly measure a project's impact on biodiversity. Our hope is that other regions around the world will adopt this approach.” 
- Geneviève Morin, President and CEO, Fondaction

“Biodiversity is becoming increasingly important in the financial sector. These new indicators will add to the tools available to strengthen our investment analyses, and we hope they will be widely adopted by our Québec peers. Our contribution to this innovative research project demonstrates our commitment to developing constructive capital in Québec while generating sustainable value.” 
- Bertrand Millot, Head of Sustainability, CPDQ

“This project is the culmination of our mission to make scientific information on Québec's biodiversity accessible. It demonstrates the research sector's commitment to contributing to informed decision-making. The enthusiasm for this project is motivating and promises to have an impact on achieving the objectives of the New Global Framework on Biodiversity.” 
- Prof. Dominique Gravel, Co-director of Biodiversité Québec

“With the recently unveiled Nature Plan, Québec has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting 30% of its territory by 2030. Today, we are taking a further step in this direction by integrating biodiversity at the very heart of our economic decisions. The announcement of these nine biodiversity indicators are essential tools to guide investors towards informed choices in harmony with our environment. Congratulations to all those involved in this initiative!” 
- Benoit Charette, Minister of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks and Minister Responsible for the Laurentides Region