T H E 1 2 T BIODIVERSITY LOSS INCREASES THE RISK OF HEALTH H U N I T ISSUES, YET REMAINS LOW ON THE CEO AGENDA E “The unsustainable D N A T I exploitation of the natural Biodiversity continues to be overlooked on the CEO O N resources of our planet just agenda. In our 2021 CEO Study, Climate Leadership S G L doesn’t make sense. We have O in the Eleventh Hour, just one in five CEOs (21%) B A to change the way we think saw biodiversity loss as a risk to their business. L C about food and natural O M One year later, protecting and restoring biodiversity P systems, otherwise we will be A C remains a low priority for CEOs, with only 18% of CEOs T - forced into doing so because A prioritizing it, ranking as the lowest of all sustainability C of biodiversity collapse.” C E N initiatives. Ana Botín, Executive Chair of Banco Santander, T U Rita Maria Zniber, R Chairman & CEO of Diana Holding highlights, “It’s impressive the progress we’ve made on E C E understanding the climate agenda in the last years. O S T We still need to go through that journey on biodiversity.” U D Y Biodiversity is still not fully understood, and lack of action “There isn’t enough dialogue could come at a high cost. It could not only exacerbate around quantifying the costs climate impacts and further deteriorate relations among of nature and biodiversity countries as they compete over increasingly limited loss. We should help people resources, but can also affect other issues such as human understand the true cost of health or agricultural production. For example, biodiversity this rather than encouraging loss is already increasing risks to human health. Haruo compliance to standards.” Naito, Representative Corporate Officer and CEO of Eisai Mairead Lavery, Co., Ltd., shares: “The connection between climate change President and Chief Executive Officer and health is clear. Take mosquito-borne tropical diseases of Export Development Canada – these have been eliminated in our country, but rising temperatures could cause such diseases to resurface in many countries, including Japan, posing significant health risks.” The impacts of biodiversity loss are significant and “By valuing and improving widespread – yet action has been woefully limited. If the biodiversity, we can show moment isn’t met with urgency, the consequences could that sustainable development be even more catastrophic. is perfectly compatible with economic development.” Some CEOs are taking action, with 35% of respondents stating that they are initiating nature protection and José Raúl González, restoration projects. However, even when biodiversity CEO of Progreso makes it onto the agenda, CEOs often do not know where to start and lack the support from government in this area. As Ronald Wuijster, Executive Board Member of APG Group NV and Chief Executive Officer of APG “Recently global challenges Asset Management, says, “Biodiversity is much more such as the pandemic have complicated than climate because it has so many confirmed that we need to angles.” Takeshi Niinami, Chief Executive Officer of dedicate time and resources Suntory Holdings Limited, adds, “Biodiversity protection to biodiversity.” is a key part of the climate equation, but it’s challenging Maurici Lucena Betriu, to address. A private entity with passion and awareness Chairman of the Board of Directors can make an impact, but it can only succeed when it is and CEO of Aena supported by a strong framework or system developed by the government.” 24 25