The Nature Pledge: Biodiversity and Sustainability in Asia and the Pacific
Host Sean Lees speaks with leading voices on efforts to combat nature loss in Asia and the Pacific, exploring how economic growth can be reconciled with environmental protection. The podcast examines the shifts needed in values, business practices, and environmental policies to benefit both people and the planet, along with the trade-offs required. It shares insights on the people, policies, and politics driving biodiversity action in the region today.
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Episode 20 - Business & Biodiversity: Asia Pacific's Role in Addressing Nature Loss
In this episode of the Nature Pledge Podcast, we sit down with Professor Ryo Kohsaka of the University of Tokyo, a lead coordinating author of IPBES's first-ever global assessment on business and biodiversity. Together, we unpack what the report means for Asia-Pacific.The IPBES Assessment's message is simple: every business, in every sector, depends on and impacts biodiversity — and the kn
Episode 19 - Cambodia's Biodiversity Priorities: A Study of Contrasts
Over the past two decades, Cambodia’s economic transition to lower-middle-income status has come at a steep environmental cost—including the loss of a massive share of its humid primary forests. In this two-part episode, we explore the contrasting priorities of Cambodia’s policy makers and Indigenous Peoples. Where do goals overlap and where are they still misaligned? Ken Bopreang, Director of Bio
Episode 18 - The Right to a Healthy Environment: Accelerating the KM Global Biodiversity Framework
In 2022, the UN General Assembly recognized the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment (RHE), the same year the world agreed the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.In this episode, we speak to Astrid Puentes Riaño, UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and discuss the nexus of human rights and nature loss.Has the
Episode 17 - Reclaiming the Range: Unpacking the Role of Pastoralism in Driving Biodiversity Gains
Rangelands cover 54% of our earth’s terrestrial surface and sustain around 500 million pastoralists world-wide, yet they receive a fraction of the attention they deserve and require. In this episode of The Nature Pledge podcast, we dive headfirst into the misunderstandings and controversies surrounding rangelands and the pastoralists that call these vital landscapes their home. Natasha Kirit Maru
Episode 16 - A New Relationship with Nature: The 2026 Human Development Report
In this episode of The Nature Pledge podcast, we dive into the upcoming flagship report from UNDP, the 2026 Human Development Report (HDR), with Pedro Conceição, the Director of the Human Development Report Office. Together we explore what might result if business and society invested in a more constructive, mutually beneficial relationship between people and nature.UNDP’s flagship report aims to
Episode 15 - Nature and the National Interest: A Conversation with UK FCDO on the Multidimensional Threats of Biodiversity Loss
Today, the degradation of our ecosystems is increasingly recognized as an economic, public health and national security priority. A recent security assessment by the British government has explored how environmental degradation can disrupt food, water, health and supply chains, and trigger wider geopolitical instability. A recently released assessment by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platfo
Episode 14 - Benchmarking Nature Performance: Corporate Rankings and Progress in Asia Pacific
In this episode of The Nature Pledge, we consider the power of corporate benchmarking in nudging us towards a nature positive economy. Benchmarking the biodiversity performance of large enterprises can help us understand progress and incentivize further action. And as importantly, corporate rankings and indexes can tell us a great deal about how further there is left to go in mitigating the driver
Episode 13 - Season 1 Recap: Managing Tensions and Transitions in the Nature and Sustainable Development Space
In this 2025 recap episode, we revisit the key themes andmost valuable reflections from our guest speakers. Over 12 episodes, our guests had a lot to say about the changing political and economic environment impacting on overseas development assistance and our work on nature and sustainable development. We also spoke at length about to the tensions between regional economic growth ambitions and th
Episode 12 - Financing Sustainability in a Time of Uncertainty
To address biodiversity loss, climate change, poverty and inequality, trillions of dollars in public and private financing are required. And yet the world seems to be churning faster than ever before with daily setbacks at both national and international levels. Some observers say that meeting our sustainable development ambitions are increasingly unlikely under current political and economic cir
Episode 11 - China, Social Entrepreneurship and the Future of Sustainability
Social entrepreneurship has taken off in the region, including in China, with remarkable energy and results. Governments and private organizations are taking note and increasingly supporting this sector through funding and enabling policies.How might impact-focused entrepreneurs change the shape of nature conservation and sustainable use in China and elsewhere? What does their rise mean for the “s
Episode 10 - Malaysia's Green Transformation and the Role of the Business and Human Rights Agenda
Malaysia is a study in contrasts: a mega-diverse country at the verge of reaching advanced economy status. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the country has transformed in more ways than one over the course of its development journey. Edmund Bon, the Chair and Malaysia representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Committee on Human Rights provides insights into how attitudes in his country have changed to
Episode 9 - Financing Nature: Opportunity and Risks in Asia Pacific
A recent World Economic Forum survey ranks biodiversity loss as one of the top threats to our global economy over the next ten years. Yet, a 700 billion USD annual financing gap to halt and reserve nature loss persists. Why the disconnect between the recognition of the risks to our economies and the rate and size of investments made in nature? Are the returns on investment in nature too small? Is
Episode 8 - The Right to Development and Nature
Dr. Surya Deva, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development is using his position to advance a planet-centered, participatory approach to development that, “prioritizes ecological sustainability and human participation, moving away from anthropocentric, growth-focused models.” How well is his message being received? What countries are buying it? And how might this novel interpretation of
Episode 7 - Retreat vs Renewal: Shifting Approaches to Business on Nature and Sustainability
Businesses and banks are leaving net-zero alliances and governments are walking back sustainability disclosure requirements. Are we in a "sustainability recession"? In this episode of the Nature Pledge, we speak to Eva Zabey, CEO of Business for Nature, about how the Asia-Pacific business community is reacting in these uncertain times. Eva challenges sustainability professionals to think of this p
Episode 6 - Negotiating Nature: Papua New Guinea and New Economic Ambitions
In this special episode of the Nature Pledge, we journey to Papua New Guinea, a nation of unparalleled natural richness and enormous economic potential. From the capital of Port Moresby to the remote, vibrant islands off the coast of West New Britain, we talk to policy makers, civil society actors and local communities to understand the impacts of economic growth and demographic pressures on natur
Episode 5 - Biocredits and Nature’s Value Proposition
In this episode of The Nature Pledge, we explore the burgeoning world of biodiversity credits, or ‘biocredits,’ a potentially powerful tool for incentivizing nature conservation and restoration.As demand for biocredits grows in interest among private investors, individuals, and governments in the region, so do critical questions and concerns. Can we put a value on nature without risking its exploi
Episode 4 - Corporate Lobbying, Human Rights and the Environment: A Conversation with Tulika Bansal
In this episode, we explore the impact of corporate lobbying on human rights and nature with Tulika Bansal, a well-known business and human rights expert in our region. Tulika draws on decades of experience, including her work at the Danish Institute for Human Rights, to reveal how corporate influence has weakened or “simplified” sustainability accountability and reporting initiatives. From the Bh
Episode 3 - Living in Interesting Times: Political Realignments and a New Chapter for Sustainability
The mood in the hallways of the UN Convention Center in Bangkok is both unfamiliar and uncomfortable. Stakeholders gathered here are troubled by what they see as a sudden and definitive drop in support for sustainable development, including climate action. Recent political developments outside of Asia and the Pacific may be driving the prevailing sentiment. Still, where does that leave the sustain
Episode 2 - Investing in Women: A Key to Solving the Biodiversity Crisis?
Government funding for biodiversity in Asia and the Pacific is a mixed picture. While countries like Australia, China, and India have increased investments, the region still faces a staggering $100–150 billion annual biodiversity financing gap. With economic stagnation, rising debt, and competing priorities like public health and education, where does nature fit into government agendas?One potenti
Episode 1 - 30x30: Can Southeast Asia Balance Economic Growth and Nature Conservation?
Economic recovery following COVID-19 has been uneven in SE Asia. Countries face rising joblessness, household debt, and pressures on export industries. Some argue for reduced business regulations—including environmental safeguards—to attract investment. Yet, elsewhere, business leaders recognize that nature loss is the second biggest risk to the global economy, second only to climate change. In th
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