Bridging the Gap: Unlocking the Potential of Earth Observation and Artificial Intelligence for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Reporting

Introduction

In the realm of sustainability, understanding the state and impact of business activities, taking proactive steps to improve outcomes, and meticulously tracking results as impacts diminish and nature-aligned opportunities flourish are paramount. Planet, a Public Benefit Corporation, recognizes the significance of sustainability and is dedicated to providing customers, partners, and the world with innovative solutions to address pressing environmental challenges. These solutions leverage up-to-date, detailed Earth observation data and robust analytics to deliver reliable, quantitative insights into the evolving state of our planet’s surface. From climate-altering emissions to the alarming deforestation of tropical regions, Planet is at the forefront of developing cutting-edge tools that empower organizations to monitor impacts and identify opportunities across their entire value chains. This valuable information can be harnessed to formulate robust strategies and develop practical platforms that drive positive change.

As part of Planet’s commitment to sustainability, we are excited to announce the release of a comprehensive white paper titled “Accelerating Biodiversity and Ecosystem Reporting.” This white paper is a collaborative effort between Planet, Microsoft, the Natural Capital Project, and the Gund Institute at the University of Vermont. It serves as an invaluable guide for navigating the evolving landscape of sustainability reporting, with a particular focus on nature-related impacts and dependencies.

The Role of Planet Data in Sustainability Reporting

Planet’s data and imagery play a pivotal role in all stages of sustainability reporting, enabling organizations to:

Identify Environmental Interfaces

Planet products facilitate the identification of areas where business activities intersect with the environment. For instance, Planet, Ordnance Survey, Esri UK, Deloitte, and Trase have joined forces to establish the Supply Chain Data Partnership (SCDP). This partnership provides a comprehensive location dataset for global supply chains, encompassing palm oil, soy, and wood-based packaging applications. Leveraging Planet’s imagery and data, organizations can effectively assess their environmental risks and impacts.

Evaluate Environmental Risks and Impacts

Planet’s imagery and data, coupled with the global Ecosystem Services Footprinting Tool developed by the Natural Capital Project, empower organizations to evaluate the environmental impacts of their activities. A notable example is the collaboration between the Natural Capital Project and Morgan Stanley’s Institute for Sustainable Investing, which utilized Planet’s imagery to assess the impacts of lithium mining within the supply chain.

Inform Plans and Strategies for Positive Change

Planet’s products provide valuable insights that can inform plans and strategies aimed at reducing negative impacts and improving environmental outcomes. Bayer Environmental Science has successfully utilized Planet’s data to assess invasive species of vegetation and establish effective management regimes. Furthermore, Planet’s analytics have enabled Justdiggit to evaluate the efficacy of their efforts to restore life in drought-stricken deserts through locally dug bunds, thereby demonstrating the tangible benefits of nature-positive actions over time.

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Reporting: A Growing Imperative

Biodiversity and ecosystem reporting is an emerging area of sustainability that has gained significant traction in recent years. As scientific evidence continues to document the rapid decline of nature globally, frameworks have emerged to shed light on the materiality of environmental changes for business investors and consumers. These frameworks include compliance-based regulations such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and voluntary frameworks like the Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).

Unlike climate reporting, which focuses on a limited number of global metrics, biodiversity and ecosystem reporting involves tracking a diverse range of indicators whose metrics are highly dependent on localized data and conditions. Fortunately, advancements in ecosystem science, Earth observation (EO), and artificial intelligence (AI) have made scientifically robust reporting more achievable and cost-effective.

Accelerating Biodiversity and Ecosystem Reporting: A Step-by-Step Guide

In our white paper, “Accelerating Biodiversity and Ecosystem Reporting,” we provide a comprehensive step-by-step guide to help organizations navigate the complexities of biodiversity and ecosystem reporting. This guide covers the entire process, from scoping and assessing to reporting, as illustrated in the figure below.

[Image: Scoping, assessing, and reporting steps for applying EO and AI tools for agribusiness]

The white paper showcases concrete examples from industry and the scientific literature, demonstrating how recent advances in EO, AI, and ecosystem science can deliver up-to-date and actionable insights for biodiversity and ecosystem metrics. These metrics range from ecosystem conversion to the status of species. We emphasize the scalability, interoperability, and seamless integration of EO and AI-enabled measurement techniques and data sources into existing company workflows. These tools empower organizations to report material dependencies and impacts, set meaningful and attainable targets, and develop policies that promote nature-positive actions.

Supporting Organizations in Their Sustainability Journey

To assist users in initiating reporting immediately, the white paper includes a comprehensive survey of dozens of data sources and tools, providing an overview of the options currently available. We offer thought leadership on the challenges organizations face and propose recommendations for collaboration among corporate, regulatory, and scientific actors to address these challenges swiftly and effectively. We firmly believe that companies that embrace biodiversity and ecosystem reporting early, starting with operational measures and incorporating additional measures as new data and tools become available, will play a pivotal role in shaping the future trajectory of nature-related reporting.

Planet’s Commitment to Sustainability

In this decisive decade for climate change and biodiversity, Planet is steadfast in its commitment to supporting our users in realizing their sustainability ambitions and accelerating their progress towards a carbon-neutral, nature-positive future. Planet’s imagery and insights empower companies to measure their environmental impacts, dependencies, and opportunities across a wide range of sustainability topics and reporting frameworks. We are excited to collaborate with our partners to weave a future that protects our planet and sustains the intricate web of life on which we all depend. The time to act is now.