Measure to Manage: nature-related risks & opportunities | Deloitte UK has been saved
Following the launch of the third version of the TNFD framework (beta v0.3) we look at the new components and give guidance on what corporates and financial institutions can do now.
The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) is a global, market-led initiative with a mission to develop a science-based risk management and disclosure framework for organisations. The TNFD is an important component of global efforts to help reverse the escalating nature crisis, which is pushing nature to the brink, and generating rapidly rising risks for businesses and their supply chains, while threatening stability in the finance system and wider economy. The TNFD's ultimate aim is to support “a shift in global financial flows away from nature-negative outcomes and toward nature-positive outcomes” (TNFD, 2022).
“More than half of the world’s global output, an estimated US$44 trillion of economic value, is highly or moderately dependent on nature” (World Economic Forum, 2020)
“Wildlife populations - mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish - have seen a devastating 69% drop on average since 1970” (WWF, 2022)
This TNFD release v0.3 draws on market feedback on previous beta releases. Over 130 corporates and financial institutions are now also pilot testing the framework.
The previous two beta releases outlined three core components: a clear language system, a draft of disclosure recommendations, and practical guidance on nature-related risk management process:
Timeline of the TNFD Framework
The new components in beta v0.3 version include:
1. Concepts and definitions
In this release, fundamental concepts related to nature are updated and critical new ones are added, such as stakeholders and rights-holders. This shows that the TNFD recognizes broader stakeholder engagement as an important component in the risk and opportunity assessment.
For a complete overview of updated and new definitions and concepts, e.g. science-based targets (SBTN) and related to scenarios, refer to the TNFD for the glossary.
2. LEAP
TNFD’s beta v0.1 proposed a step-by-step approach to guide organisations through the assessment of their nature-related impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities. The four phases of Locate, Evaluate, Assess and Prepare are further broken into sub-steps that help organisations answer critical questions and tasks to assess nature-related risks and opportunities.
There are four major revisions:
3. Metrics and targets
The metrics and targets section offers an integrated and overarching architecture for nature-related indicators, metrics and targets that can be applied in the LEAP approach.
The v0.3 release focuses on the third phase, Assess, in which impacts and dependencies are translated into risk and opportunities. By giving additional guidance on:
The above steps can be taken by learning from a set of illustrative categories of nature-related risks and opportunities and their proposed magnitude indicators.
4. Additional guidance
The TNFD is developing specific sector guidance for a defined set of priority sectors. In this version, it released a first set of supplemental guidance for financial institutions on the disclosure recommendations for three of the four TNFD pillars: Strategy, Risk management and Metrics & Targets. Financial institutions are recommended to disclose quantitative and qualitative information regarding their specific businesses, clients, products and services. For example, the disclosure on the processes for managing nature-related risks may include adjustments to the pricing of their products or the portfolio composition.
We expect the TNFD to become a market-leading framework for nature-related disclosures given the rising expectations of organisations, institutional investors, and regulators. With growing convergence around global reporting standards and increasing focus on the net zero transition, regulation on nature is likely to follow.
Therefore, we recommend market participants be proactive and start using the framework by:
1. Engaging: Become a member of the TNFD forum, engage, keep up-to-date on the latest TNFD developments, and provide your feedback via the platform.
2. Testing: Start using pilot guidance of the TNFD framework to help you understand your organisation’s impacts and dependencies on nature and integrate nature alongside climate in your risk management framework.
3. Participate: Join the TNFD national consulting groups to engage with your peers and provide further feedback to the framework.
Our blogs explaining the previous versions of the beta framework, v0.1 and v0.2, give more background on the building of v0.3:
Download our overview of the framework here.
Beta v0.4 is expected in March 2023. This will include further developments on metrics and targets (including alignment with SBTN) and on guidance for specific sectors, such as agriculture & food, energy, mining & metals, as well as additional guidance for realms and biomes, e.g., tropical forests.
The final release (v1.0) in September 2023 is expected to deliver a complete set of disclosure recommendations and definitions with complementary guidance on data and scenarios, as well as on realms, biomes, sectors and nature-related issues. The final framework will also include the final version of the LEAP process.
We can help you prepare for the TNFD and start to assess, disclose and manage your nature-related risks and opportunities. This includes supporting you to understand your organisation’s nature-related risks and opportunities; piloting the draft TNFD framework; implementing targets, strategies, and investments to mitigate risks. We have expertise and deep technical capability in nature and sustainability. Our support in the development of the TNFD and working with a wide range of organisations to prepare and pilot for the TNFD, makes us well placed to support you.
Guy is Deloitte’s Asia Pacific and Global Nature Lead, with a focus on elevating biodiversity with businesses as a means to manage risk and capitalise on new environmental markets. Guy also serves as Deloitte’s representative on the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures and is an industry thought leader in biodiversity and natural capital, providing science-based solutions to solve new and emerging global challenges. Guy’s work is built on his training and career as a professional ecologist with 20 years in consulting, having developed monitoring, reporting and verification frameworks for multiple clients, working closely with the finance, built, infrastructure, energy, and food and agriculture industries. Guy also has a deep and ongoing interest in community-led forest conservation, and the use of digital media to support effective primate strategies..
Toby is an expert in nature and biodiversity and has 25 years’ experience of integrating nature and biodiversity into policy, strategy and finance decision-making. Toby helps organisations to develop and apply tools and frameworks that measure and manage nature-related risks, and build resilience and value through net zero and nature-positive aligned policies, strategies and investments. He represents Deloitte on the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). Prior to joining Deloitte, Toby spent 10 years at WWF UK (most recently as head of sustainable economic policy) and 10 years in consulting. He led impactful global initiatives and partnerships on the economic and financial risks of nature loss that are catalysing innovation in finance and business decision-making. He worked with intergovernmental bodies, governments, regulators, companies and finance institutions across all continents. Toby has an MSc in marine science and a BSc in environmental biology and policy.
Simon Brennan leads Deloitte’s EMEA Sustainability Regulation Hub. Organisations are setting ambitious targets as they journey to become sustainable. The Hub is a source of critical insight and advice to support businesses to better understand and respond to new regulatory requirements, and to assess how best to transform business strategies and operating models.