The Battle Between Business and Nature IPBES Chair Reveals the New Global Economic Bottom Line

The 12th plenary session of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) recently concluded in Manchester, UK. During the session, the platform adopted the policy brief of the “Business and Biodiversity Report,” which for the first time systematically assessed the dependence and impact of business on nature. During the conference, IPBES Chair Dr. David Obura gave an interview, stating that business and nature form an “interdependent ecological loop,” and that economic development can no longer be one-sided.

IPBES Chairman：David Obura

May Zhao: Could you briefly introduce yourself?

David Obura: I’m from Kenya, a coral reef ecologist, and currently the Chair of IPBES. I’ve long been focused on sustainable interactions between humans and nature.

May Zhao: What is the most important finding of this report?

David Obura: Business and nature form a closed loop: businesses rely on nature and also profoundly impact it. We can no longer just take from nature.

May Zhao: Why do businesses both depend on and affect nature?

David Obura: All industries depend on natural resources—agriculture, food, timber. At the same time, their practices affect the environment, such as pollution, over-extraction, and resource depletion.

May Zhao: What is the most common mistake businesses make regarding biodiversity?

David Obura: The biggest fallacy is the linear business model—extracting from nature, producing, selling, and then generating waste. We need a circular economy, not a one-way consumption.

May Zhao: What impact will the US withdrawal from IPBES have?

David Obura: We’ll lose some funding and government participation, but global scientific collaboration continues. The US is a key economy, and we hope they’ll rejoin the sustainability effort in the future.

May Zhao: The Winter Olympics are underway, and the IOC President, Kirsty Coventry, is African. As a fellow African, how do you view the relationship between the Olympics and nature?

David Obura: I caught a bit of the skiing this morning—truly thrilling! The Winter Olympics blend human athleticism with stunning natural landscapes. But it’s crucial to consider how sports can coexist harmoniously with nature for true sustainability.

May Zhao: Sum up your dream in one sentence.

David Obura: I hope the world genuinely moves towards fair and sustainable development.