The ABI have rightly recognised that nature underpins our entire economy and that urgent action from their members, business, government, and regulators is needed to address its alarming decline. We welcome the ABI’s leadership in setting out the clear business case to address nature loss, and demonstrating the critical role that the insurance sector can play in turning the tide. This is a clear call from industry for the government to set out a plan for how nature will be fully integrated into mandatory disclosures and financial regulation.

The insurance sector is at the forefront of dealing with increasing uncertainty unleashed by the climate and nature emergency. Tasked with insuring homes, businesses, and our health, mitigating and adapting to the impact of climate and nature-related risks like flooding and poor air quality is critical. The Woodland Trust welcomes this new guidance from the ABI which inspires and encourages its members to take leadership by building resilience through nature’s recovery. The guide rightly emphasises action now. This starts with stopping unacceptable harm: always protecting irreplaceable habitats, and otherwise following the mitigation hierarchy to first work with existing nature. We need to make significant investments today at landscape scale to enhance and protect the ecosystems we all rely on. When we set up people and nature to thrive, there is no better insurance policy.