Introduction

Nature serves as the bedrock of the global economic system, with more than $58 trillion of global GDP being moderately or highly dependent on it. However, nature’s capacity to support humanity is being steadily eroded. Nature-related risks, encompassing biodiversity loss, climate breakdown, and ecosystem collapse, represent significant threats to financial stability, value chains, and long-term business resilience. This concept brief, developed by WWF and CDP, proposes the establishment of a new network on nature in transition planning. The initiative seeks to enable and scale implementation, building on previous work and recommendations from an informal working group convened in 2026.

Embedding nature into transition planning is essential for several reasons. It supports climate mitigation, as there is no net-zero without nature, and aids climate adaptation by protecting against climate impacts. Furthermore, it ensures nature resilience by allowing ecological systems to withstand hazardous events and maintain essential functions. Finally, it bolsters business resilience by managing nature-related risks and opportunities while securing the natural assets upon which economies depend. The next four years are identified as decisive for halting and reversing nature loss in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

The case for a network

Momentum for organisations to act on nature-related issues is rising, as highlighted in the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) 2026 annual status report. Central banks and financial supervisors are increasingly recognising the relevance of nature-related risks to micro-prudential supervision. Despite the increase in guidance, tools, and frameworks, translating nature-related assessments into action through transition plans remains limited. Implementation is lagging across sectors and geographies, creating a gap between corporate ambition and the ability to execute credible plans.

Data indicates a strong interest in this area: more than 80% of businesses and financial institutions surveyed by the TNFD intend to embed nature in their transition plans. Additionally, 47% of climate transition plans disclosed through CDP already integrate at least one environmental issue beyond climate. However, only more than 2% of the world’s 2,000 most influential companies have published early iterations of transition plans specifically for nature. The proposed network aims to close this implementation gap by providing practical support, peer learning, and alignment across the landscape.

The case for collaboration

Organisations currently navigate a complex landscape of guidance with limited practical examples across different sectors. Gaps in capacity and evidence make it difficult to set credible targets or adapt business models. Furthermore, policy, finance, and market expectations are not always aligned. A shared platform can unlock practical planning support grounded in real-world experience and ensure greater coherence across existing approaches rather than creating parallel frameworks.

The intended impact of the network is to accelerate credible, economy-wide transition planning that integrates nature. This will help companies manage risks, strengthen competitiveness, and contribute to a nature-positive, climate-resilient economy. No single organisation can solve these challenges alone; the network will connect those developing plans with the initiatives shaping guidance, finance, and policy to create a feedback loop between implementation experience and the wider enabling environment.

The network model

The network model is built around three mutually reinforcing strategic priorities. The first priority is to build the evidence by generating knowledge, tracking adoption barriers, and mapping alignment across frameworks. This involves building a shared evidence base through case studies and implementation lessons. The second priority is to enable implementation by helping organisations respond to the transition implied by the GBF. This includes addressing priority guidance gaps and developing sector-specific pilots and tailored tools.

The third strategic priority is to shape enabling conditions by connecting implementation experience to policy, standards, and finance. The network will support greater coherence across regulatory expectations and generate evidence-based recommendations grounded in real-world practice. It will also convene policymakers and regulators to strengthen interoperability and consistency across the market.

Governance & participation

The proposed governance model separates strategic oversight from technical delivery and management. An Executive Committee will set strategic direction and approve workplans, while Core Members will inform priorities and participate in workstreams. Workstream leads will guide technical delivery and produce focused outputs, supported by a Secretariat that manages administration and operations. Potential participants include companies, financial institutions, regulators, scientific experts, and civil society.

The membership structure distinguishes between Core Membership and the broader Network Community. Core Members are organisations committed to sustained engagement, with an indicative scale of 20–30 organisations initially, potentially growing to 50–100 over time. The broader community can engage through webinars, publications, and knowledge sharing. Strategic external partners, such as governments and educational institutions, may collaborate on specific activities to achieve cross-sectoral and cross-regional participation.

Implementation roadmap

The implementation roadmap is divided into four phases. Phase 0 (Months 1-3) focuses on establishing the network by building governance, funding, and operating foundations. Phase 1 (Months 4-6) involves finalising and launching workstreams, defining resources, and activating initial activities. Phase 2 (Months 6-12) centres on implementation, where the network will deliver activities, track progress, and share findings. Finally, Phase 3 (Month 12+) focuses on consolidating and scaling by prioritising successful work and expanding partnerships.

What success looks like

Success is defined by a stronger ecosystem for credible action. This includes increased capacity and confidence for companies to embed nature in planning, supported by navigable resources. Coherence and recognition are also key, where transition planning becomes a recognised mechanism for setting targets and directing investment. Finally, success involves adoption and alignment, where companies and financial institutions adopt coherent approaches that integrate nature and climate, with implementation evidence informing future policy and standards.