Nature-Related Organizations
and Initiatives

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was created in June 1972 through a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly to implement the Declaration of the UN Conference on the Human Environment and the Action Plan for the Human Environment adopted at the UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, held under the slogan “Only One Earth.” As a subsidiary organ of the UN General Assembly, the UNEP coordinates environmental initiatives and promotes international cooperation on emerging issues. It operates through seven subprograms (climate change, disasters and conflicts, ecosystem management, environmental governance, chemicals and pollution, resource efficiency, and environmental review) to foster global cooperation to protect and enhance environmental quality for human life and well-being now and in the future. The UNEP also leads negotiations for numerous international environmental treaties and functions as the secretariat for the Montreal Protocol while overseeing treaties such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, and Convention on Biological Diversity.
One UNEP sub-organization is the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). The UNEP-WCMC compiles and manages information on the conservation and sustainable use of species and environmental systems and distributes it to a broad range of entities, from international institutions to multinational corporations.

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), sometimes described as the biodiversity counterpart to the IPCC, is an intergovernmental body that scientifically evaluates biodiversity and ecosystem service trends and strengthens links between scientific knowledge and policy. Its core activities include scientific assessments, capacity building, knowledge generation, and policy support. The IPBES was established in April 2012 and had 148 member countries as of March 2025.

IPBES activities are designed and executed based on requests from its member states. A key activity is producing reports that summarize scientific assessments of biodiversity and ecosystem services, with themes updated every few years. The Summary for Policymakers (SPM), which condenses policy-relevant findings from these reports, is released upon concurrence from all member states during deliberations at the IPBES Plenary, supporting the use of scientific insights in policymaking.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) refers to periodic meetings held to advance the implementation of conventions, establish policy guidelines and work plans for contracting parties, and review progress. The COP for the Convention on Biological Diversity is known as the CBD-COP and is held roughly every two years.
Japan has also hosted a CBD-COP. COP10, which was held in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, in 2010, was a landmark event in which the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, international goals for 2010–2020, were adopted. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which set new international goals following the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, has now been adopted, and numerous international actors are strengthening efforts to realize the vision set out in the GBF. The most recent CBD-COP was held in Cali, Colombia in 2024, and the next meeting is planned for Yerevan, Armenia.

The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) comprise accounting standards created by the International Accounting Standards Board, which is a private organization headquartered in London. It was established in the 1980s to unify accounting standards as business globalization accelerated. IFRS use expanded following the European Union’s mandatory adoption for listed companies in 2005. Today, the IFRS is used in roughly 120 countries and regions. Some developed nations, including the United States and Japan, have not fully adopted the IFRS, but global adoption continues to increase.
IFRS requirements reflect a company’s financial condition, but recent efforts have sought to incorporate sustainability information. Through the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), created within IFRS in 2021, these standards offer a framework for companies to integrate ESG information, and they are crucial in supporting sustainable business management. Work is also underway to align the standards with TNFD disclosure standards.

The Science Based Targets Network (SBTN), is an international non-profit organization developing Science Based Targets for Nature (SBTs for Nature), which is a framework that enables companies to set science-based nature-related targets. In the climate field, SBTs, which define GHG emission reduction goals consistent with the 1.5 °C pathway based on scientific findings from the IPCC and other bodies, are already widely used, but SBTs for Nature represent a new framework oriented toward targets for nature. TNFD also supports using SBTs for Nature in the Target-Setting section.
SBTN has issued guidelines for setting targets related to freshwater and terrestrial systems, and a draft version has been released for marine systems. Nature-related targets created using these guidelines undergo verification by the SBTN, and those that pass review are published on the SBTN website.

The Nature Positive Initiative (NPI) is an initiative aimed at promoting the consistent use, definition, and application of the “nature positive” term and supporting long-term, broad-based efforts to deliver results. The initiative was launched in September 2024 by 27 major conservation groups, research institutions, companies, and financial alliances, including the IUCN, WWF, and TNFD. The NPI’s chief priority is to assist in developing shared definitions, metrics, tools, and practices that enable all stakeholders to measure and report their impacts and contributions accurately.
“Nature positive” means reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 and reaching full recovery by 2050, using 2020 as the baseline. The “nature positive” definition is widely recognized, but numerous indicators exist for measuring nature loss, and there is no unified indicator currently to determine whether nature positive outcomes are being achieved. To address this, the NPI proposed a unified indicator in October 2024 for assessing the current condition of nature. Currently, nine indicators have been suggested for measuring terrestrial conditions, and similar indicators are expected for freshwater and marine systems in the future.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global conservation organization. Founded in 1951, it works to protect habitats and safeguard rare wildlife and ecosystems. It operates globally, conducting conservation projects in 81 countries and regions and developing more than 100 marine conservation initiatives. It is also a founding member of the NPI.

Conservation International (CI) is an international environmental NGO dedicated to building a sustainable future through nature conservation. Founded in 1987, CI established its Japan office in 1990. The organization develops, implements, and supports conservation projects, and engages in policy advocacy on issues such as climate change and marine protection. CI also works to promote a nature-positive economy by fostering production, consumption, and financial systems that operate in harmony with nature. CI is a founding member of the NPI.

• Conservation International Japan (Opens in a new tab)

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) was founded in 1948 and is the world’s largest expert network dedicated to conserving biodiversity. The IUCN comprises seven commissions, namely, Climate Action Commission, Commission on Ecosystem Management, Commission on Education and Communication, Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy, Species Survival Commission, World Commission on Environmental Law and World Commission on Protected Area.
As of 2025, more than 15,000 experts from government bodies, NGOs, indigenous communities, and other organizations are participating in compiling the IUCN and contributing to publishing guidelines, assessments, and other scientific materials. The IUCN also plays a significant role in conventions such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, offering scientific input to assist contracting parties in their decision-making. The organization also helps connect scientific knowledge with policy through mechanisms such as Nature-based Solutions.
The Marubeni Group’s assessment of nature-related issues also incorporates the biome data and protected area management categories published by the IUCN. Please refer to the Marubeni Group’s “Disclosure in Line with the Recommendations of the TNFD” and “Marubeni’s growth” for details.

• Living in Harmony with Nature (Disclosure in Line with the Recommendations of the TNFD)

The IUCN convenes the World Conservation Congress every four years. It functions as a platform for developing international consensus, including adopting resolutions and holding workshops on biodiversity conservation.

WWF is a global environmental conservation organization established in Switzerland in 1961. To build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, WWF is currently promoting environment projects in more than 100 countries to protect rare wildlife species, preserve natural environments such as forests and oceans, promote sustainable use of natural resources, and prevent global warming, among many other things.

• WWF (Opens in a new tab)