Climate disruptions, biodiversity decline, and resource scarcity are transforming global business operations. Addressing these challenges through strategic investments can yield cost reductions, unlock new income streams, and foster more durable economic expansion.
The World Economic Forum, in partnership with Oliver Wyman, has analyzed viable business initiatives that benefit both corporate performance and environmental sustainability. A comprehensive report detailing these findings is set for release early next year.
The analysis identifies a robust pipeline of investment-ready opportunities across 12 essential industries, including agriculture, energy, mining, cement, food systems, and technology. These initiatives fall into five broad categories, each offering distinct pathways for integration into existing operations.
First are incremental improvements—low-cost efficiency upgrades with immediate impact. These include water conservation systems and energy-saving technologies. For example, Mahindra Group has implemented advanced water management across its automotive, technology, and renewable energy divisions, enhancing operational efficiency while reducing strain on local water supplies.
Second are deployable technologies—proven innovations not yet widely adopted. Holcim, a leader in sustainable construction materials, produces concrete incorporating 10 to 100 percent recycled content from construction waste. Early investment in such solutions allows firms to meet rising demand for eco-friendly products and reduce dependence on raw materials, even if initial costs remain high.
Third are emerging innovations—early-stage technologies with high potential. These include AI-driven irrigation systems, subsurface drip networks, and automated water controls. Though still in pilot phases, these tools promise significant gains in water efficiency, particularly in drought-prone areas.
Fourth are ecosystem-based opportunities requiring cross-sector collaboration. Battery recycling exemplifies this model. Companies like BASF are building large-scale recycling plants, while startups such as Cylib and Tozero develop advanced recovery methods. Participation in such networks ensures access to critical materials, supports circular supply chains, and spreads financial and operational risks.
Finally, transformative opportunities involve large-scale shifts capable of reshaping entire industries. These require substantial capital and long-term commitment, often involving financial institutions through mainstream lending and investment vehicles. While no fully mature examples exist yet, advancing other categories can lay the groundwork for such systemic change.
The framework allows businesses to begin with achievable steps while preparing for deeper structural shifts. Crucially, many of these strategies align with core operations, demonstrating that environmental responsibility can enhance—not hinder—profitability.
The decision is clear: adopting nature-positive practices strengthens resilience, opens new markets, and builds stakeholder trust. Inaction risks higher operating costs, stranded assets, and diminished competitiveness.
Initiatives like the Nature Action Agenda, part of the Forum’s Centre for Nature and Climate, aim to accelerate progress by building knowledge, mobilizing leadership, scaling solutions in urban and industrial systems, and advocating for supportive policies aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
— news from The World Economic Forum
— News Original —
Identifying investible opportunities for a nature-positive economy
Climate shocks, nature loss and resource constraints are reshaping how businesses across the world operate and do business. n nInvestments made to manage these risks can also deliver cost savings, open new revenue sources and lead to more resilient growth. n nThe World Economic Forum and Oliver Wyman have identified a pipeline of investible opportunities in critical sectors, which deliver benefits for both companies and the planet. n nClimate shocks, nature loss and resource constraints are reshaping the way companies operate around the world. Nature-related risks are already materializing – supply chains are disrupted by floods and droughts, operations are impacted by water stress and nature loss, and companies face environment-related litigation and regulation. n nInvestments made to manage these risks can, in many cases, also deliver cost savings, open new revenue sources and lead to more resilient growth. n nThe World Economic Forum, in collaboration with Oliver Wyman, has conducted a systematic analysis of nature-positive business activities that generate economic returns, the full report of which will be published early next year. n nFrom this, we have identified a significant pipeline of investible opportunities in critical sectors, which deliver benefits for both companies and the planet. n nThese are practical solutions ranging from efficiency improvements to industry-wide transformations, many of which are deployable at scale today. For corporates, they represent not only a pathway to environmental stewardship but also a source of competitive advantage and revenue generation. n nBusiness benefits of transitioning to a nature-positive economy n nTransitioning to a nature-positive economy could generate $10.1 trillion in value by 2030. Companies that act early can reduce costs, strengthen supply chain resilience and access new markets. n nYet hesitation remains. Many firms still perceive investments in nature as costs rather than drivers of growth, and a significant financing gap remains. n nLoading… n nThis view is rapidly becoming outdated. Across industries, leaders are proving that nature-positive strategies can enhance profitability while safeguarding natural capital – a resource no business can afford to lose. n nThe Forum’s analysis highlights a significant pipeline of investable opportunities across 12 critical sectors – from agriculture and food to cement, mining, energy and technology. These opportunities generally fall into five categories, each offering different pathways to integrate these into business operations: n n1. Incremental: efficiency wins hiding in plain sight n nIncremental opportunities are the low-hanging fruit. They involve efficiency measures that are relatively inexpensive and could generate significant cost savings while reducing environmental impact. n nMahindra Group, for example, has deployed advanced water management systems across its operations in technology, automotive, agriculture, renewable energy and real estate, improving efficiency and water security while reducing pressure on local freshwater sources. n nSuch measures can be rolled out quickly, delivering immediate operational savings and building resilience in water-stressed regions. n n2. Deployable: scaling proven technologies n nDeployable opportunities are technologically viable, available in the market, but not yet commercially mainstream. Holcim is a pioneer in sustainable cement and concrete: the company produces concrete with recycled construction and demolition waste, incorporating from 10% up to 100% recycled content into some products. n nBy investing early in scaling such technologies, companies can differentiate themselves from peers, meet customer demand for sustainable materials and help build markets that reduce reliance on virgin resources. n nSome of these opportunities still rely on high-cost inputs and must be sold at a premium; however, cost curves are going down over time. n n3. Emerging: piloting the innovations of tomorrow n nEmerging opportunities are early-stage technologies with significant potential. Businesses need to pilot these innovative technologies to help build capabilities for markets of the future. An example of this is the development of innovative irrigation solutions, such as sensor‑guided and artificial intelligence‑assisted scheduling, subsurface drip systems and automated valves. n nThese technologies improve water use efficiency and reduce run-off in water‑stressed regions. Many of these deployments are still in the pilot phase, yet they represent the frontier of precision water management in agriculture. n n4. Ecosystem: collaborating across value chains n nSome opportunities require collaboration across sectors. Battery recycling is one such ecosystem play. Across the value chain, BASF is investing in large-scale recycling facilities while start-ups like Cylib and Tozero are innovating in recovery processes. n nFor businesses, joining these ecosystems ensures access to critical materials, supports circular supply chains and creates new partnerships that spread both costs and benefits. If the rebound effect can be controlled, circularity efforts across value chains have the potential to keep natural resource extraction within planetary boundaries. n nBusinesses need to partner with peers, suppliers and start-ups to unlock these circular and regenerative value chains. n n5. Transformative: reimagining industries n nFinally, transformative opportunities involve large-scale, highly mature investments that reshape entire industries. Given their high capital requirements and low risk, financial institutions step in quickly to provide lending and investment through mainstream commercial financial instruments. n nLoading… n nWhile this is the “holy grail” for nature-positive activities, no opportunity quite matches the criteria yet. These require a commitment to systemic change, rethinking business models to thrive in a resource-constrained word. Businesses and financial institutions need to work together to move other opportunities up the curves of maturity and scale to build truly transformative opportunities. n nThe spectrum enables businesses to start with quick wins while preparing for deeper transformations. Importantly, many of these opportunities fall squarely within value chains, demonstrating that nature-positive strategies can support – not distract from – core business growth. n nWhy companies must embrace nature-positive strategies n nThe choice facing companies is clear. Embracing these opportunities strengthens resilience against environmental shocks, creates new revenue streams and builds trust with stakeholders. Ignoring them risks higher costs, stranded assets and lost competitiveness. n nDiscover n nWhat is the World Economic Forum doing about nature? n nBiodiversity loss and climate change are occurring at unprecedented rates, threatening humanity’s very survival. Nature is in crisis, but there is hope. Investing in nature can not only increase our resilience to socioeconomic and environmental shocks, but it can help societies thrive. n nThere is strong recognition within the Forum that the future must be net-zero and nature-positive. The Nature Action Agenda initiative, within the Centre for Nature and Climate, is an inclusive, multistakeholder movement catalysing economic action to halt biodiversity loss by 2030. n nThe Nature Action Agenda is enabling business and policy action by: n nBuilding a knowledge base to make a compelling economic and business case for safeguarding nature, showcasing solutions and bolstering research through the publication of the New Nature Economy Reports and impactful communications. n nCatalysing leadership for nature-positive transitions through multi-stakeholder communities such as Champions for Nature that takes a leading role in shaping the net-zero, nature-positive agenda on the global stage. n nScaling up solutions in priority socio-economic systems through BiodiverCities by 2030, turning cities into engines of nature-positive development; Financing for Nature, unlocking financial resources through innovative mechanisms such as high-integrity Biodiversity Credits Market; and Sector Transitions to Nature Positive, accelerating sector-specific priority actions to reduce impacts and unlock opportunities. n nSupporting an enabling environment by ensuring implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and mobilizing business voices calling for ambitious policy actions in collaboration with Business for Nature.