Regional Business & Biodiversity Forum

Mainstreaming Biodiversity Across Key Economic Sectors: From Commitments to Action

proudly convened by

16-17 March 2026

Registration opening soon!

Registration for in-person and online attendance will be opening soon. Online event to be hosted on Zoom

SANBI National Botanical Gardens, Pretoria, South Africa

The event will be hosted in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and virtual attendance.

Africa stands at a pivotal moment.

The continent’s economies are expanding, infrastructure investment is accelerating, and global markets are demanding stronger environmental performance across value chains. At the same time, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) calls on governments and businesses to take coordinated, transformative action to halt biodiversity loss while strengthening resilience and development outcomes.

The event will create space for dialogue, mutual learning, and the identification of common approaches that can support both economic development and biodiversity management across the region.

As countries move from commitments to delivery under the GBF, there is an urgent need for coherent, scalable, and investable approaches to integrate biodiversity into core economic sectors. Businesses across mining, agriculture, forestry, energy, and transport are already developing new models—yet these remain uneven and often under-recognised..

Mainstreaming biodiversity across key economic sectors is essential to achieving national GBF targets, safeguarding livelihoods, and building more competitive, future-ready economies. This Forum provides a timely platform for African leaders to demonstrate how aligning economic decision-making with biodiversity considerations can unlock investment, reduce risk, and support a just transition for communities and industries.

To advance this agenda, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) and the Global Partnership for Business and Biodiversity (GPBB), in collaboration with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), and additional partners, will convene a two-day Regional Business and Biodiversity Forum. The event will highlight African-led innovation, practical tools, and sector-specific solutions that can accelerate biodiversity mainstreaming, inform COP16 outcomes, and strengthen regional reporting and implementation under the GBF.

This Forum offers a unique opportunity to

Position Africa as a leader in biodiversity‑aligned development.
Mobilise investment and partnerships that support resilience, jobs, and long‑term economic stability.
Equip governments and businesses with the tools required for upcoming reporting obligations, including work on Target 15.
Demonstrate concrete progress ahead of SBI‑7 and COP17.

This event was made possible through the generous funding from IPIECA, IUCN and The Nature Conservancy

Draft Agenda

16 March 2026

09:00 Opening of the Business and Biodiversity Forum

Flora Mokgohloa, Deputy Director General, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE)
Shonisani Munzhedzi, CEO, South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)
Astrid Schomaker, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

09:25 Plenary session: The role of disclosures and reporting in catalyzing private sector action

The session will look into global trends, the role of disclosures in supporting business transformation and investigate how the SADC countries are addressing these challenges.

Speakers:

Hirotsugu Takahashi, Secretariat of the CBD
Ndidi Nnoli-Edozien, Board Member, ISSB
Ntakadzeni Tshidada, Director, SANBI
And others
Moderated by Jenifer Zungu, Technical Advisor, NBSAP Accelerator Partnership

10:30 Sector Spotlight: Mainstreaming biodiversity within the mining sector

The session will take a deep dive into the mining sector and the successful examples of biodiversity mainstreaming at the regional level.

Hayley Zipp, Director of Environment, International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM)
And corporate representatives from the mining sector

11:30 Health Break

11:45 Panel Discussion: Strengthening partnership and Collaboration for sustainable economic development and thriving biodiversity

The panel will provide context for the revision and updating of the guidelines and inputs from governments, businesses, and other relevant stakeholder

Stephinah Mudau, Head: Environment, Mineral Council South Africa
and others representing government and NGO stakeholders

13:00 Lunch Break

14:30 Sector spotlight: Mainstreaming biodiversity in the energy sector

The session will take a deep dive into the energy sector and the successful examples of biodiversity mainstreaming at the regional level

Vhalinavho Khavhagali, Country Director, IUCN South Africa
Artemis Kostareli, Nature Director, Ipieca
LuLu Lokotsi, HSE Manager, TotalEnergies
Anton Earle, Global Coordinator: Water Systems, ICLEI Africa
and others representing energy and conservation NGOs

15:45 Sector spotlight: Mainstreaming biodiversity in the Transportation and Infrastructure Sectors

The session will take a deep dive into the transportation and infrastructure sector and the successful examples of biodiversity mainstreaming at the regional level.

Mudzunga Thangavhuelelo, Sustainability Specialist, Transnet
Nenekazi Songxaba, Environmental Coordinator, SANRAL
Thabo Hlatshwayo, Wildlife and Linear Infrastructure expert, EWT
Takalani Murulana, Policy, Community & Government Relations Advisor: Lead, The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
Shaheed Alli, Head :Project Preparation, Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

17:00 Closing day 1

17 March 2026

09:00 Sector spotlight: Mainstreaming biodiversity in the agriculture and forestry sectors

The session will focus on discussing what are the challenges and existing solutions to leveraging mainstreaming of biodiversity across two key sectors

Wiam Hadad, Systems Ecologist, ZZ2
Brent Corcoran, Manager of Certification & Environment, Mondi
Jane Molony, Lead on Biodiversity, Business Unity South Africa (BUSA)
Julie Bélanger, Natural Resources Officer, The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Louise Stafford, Country Director, TNC

10:00 Panel discussion: Innovative financial mechanisms

The panel will explore different mechanisms that can support mobilization of resources for biodiversity such as biodiversity offset bank, biodiversity credits, expenditure tagging, among other

Jeffrey Manuel, Manager: Park Planning and Development, South African National Parks
Deshni Pillay, Nature, Climate and Energy Portfolio Manager, UNDP BIOFIN
Mookho Mathaba, Climate Finance Specialist, DBSA
TBC, AfDB
Jessica Smith, Head of Nature & Academic Engagement, UNEP FI
Nozipho Sibiya-Zulu, Senior Policy Specialist, Africa, Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)

11:00 Health Break

11:15 Plenary Session: IPBES Business and Biodiversity Assessment Update

This session will provide report on the landmark IPBES Business and Biodiversity Assessment which was released during its 12^th IPBES Plenary in Manchester, United Kingdom.

Amrei von Hase, Coordinating Lead Author
Questions and Answers Session

11:45 Plenary Session: Advancing the Targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework through Biodiversity Economy Initiatives fostered by Strategic Collaboration between Governments and Businesses

This session will provide an in-depth exploration of the Biodiversity Economy as a key driver for mainstreaming biodiversity considerations into policy, planning, and practice, enabling Sectors to realise the financial and social benefits associated with healthy and resilient ecosystems.

Khorommbi Matibe, Chief Director: Biodiversity Economy and Sustainable Use, DFFE
Sue Snyman: Research Director: School of Wildlife Conservation, African Leadership University (online)
Riaan Grobler, Director: Environmental Economics Accounts, Statistics South Africa (online)

13:00 Closing Session and road to Armenia

14:30 Peer learning dialogue among governments (TBC)