Regional Business & Biodiversity Forum

Mainstreaming Biodiversity Across Key Economic Sectors: From Commitments to Action

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16-17 March 2026

 SANBI National Botanical Gardens, Pretoria, South Africa

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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

Event recordings and presentations

Jump to a specific speaker or session in recordings by selecting linked speaker or session names. Download selected presentations where available [link highlighted in orange]

16 March 2026

 Opening of the Business and Biodiversity Forum

Government Policy Context Session

An introduction of  the policy instruments guiding the mainstreaming of biodiversity  by businesses in South Africa

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

This plenary will explore the role of disclosures in supporting transformation of business models and examine how these challenges have been addressed at both the global and regional levels. The plenary will also highlight the global trends related to Target 15 of the GBF.

Moderator: Jenifer Zungu, Facilitator, NBSAP Accelerator Partnership

Sector Spotlight: Mainstreaming biodiversity within the mining sector

This session will take a deep dive into the mining sector and explore successful examples of biodiversity mainstreaming at the regional level. In line with Decision COP16/13, this session will look into tools, mechanisms, guidance and relevant solutions that can support biodiversity mainstreaming in the mining sector.

Panel discussion moderated by: Pearl Gola, Director, SANBI

Sector spotlight: Mainstreaming biodiversity in the energy sector

This session will take a deep dive into the energy sector and explore successful examples of biodiversity mainstreaming at the regional level. In line with Decision COP16/13, this session will look into tools, mechanisms, guidance and relevant solutions that can support biodiversity mainstreaming in the energy sector.

Panel discussion moderated by: Kishaylin Chetty, Head of Sustainability, EWT

Sector spotlight: Mainstreaming biodiversity in the Transportation and Infrastructure Sectors

This session will take a deep dive into the transportation and infrastructure sector and explore successful examples of biodiversity mainstreaming at the regional level. In line with Decision COP16/13, this session will look into tools, mechanisms, guidance and relevant solutions that can support biodiversity mainstreaming in the transportation and infrastructure sector.

Panel session moderated by: Lucia Motloung, Director Information Management and Science Policy Interface, DFFE

17 March 2026

Sector spotlight: Mainstreaming biodiversity in the agriculture and forestry sectors

This session will take a deep dive into the agriculture and forestry sector and explore successful examples of biodiversity mainstreaming at the regional level. In line with Decision COP16/13, this session will look into tools, mechanisms, guidance and relevant solutions that can support biodiversity mainstreaming in the agriculture and forestry sector.

Panel moderated by: Mthobisi Nzimande, Assistant Director, SANBI

 

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

Panel discussion moderated by: Ntakadzeni Tshidada, Director, SANBI

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 12th IPBES Plenary in Manchester, United Kingdom.

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.

Moderator: Lactitia Tshitwamulomoni, Director, DFFE

Closing Session and road to Armenia

Ntakadzeni Tshidada, Director, SANBI

Bianca Brasil, Programme Manager, Biodiversity Mainstreaming, Secretariat of the CBD

Flora Mokgohloa, Deputy Director General, DFFE

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