Natalie Kyriacou contributes to a Nature-Positive Australia

Natalie Kyriacou OAM announced her contribution in the “A Nature-Positive Australia: The value of an Australian Biodiversity Market,” report with PwC Australia in December 2022, adding to her incredible list of accolades in the environmental space.

The Greek Australian is the founder and CEO of My Green World and PwC Business Development Lead, among other recognised creations and innovations.

In 2018, Kyriacou was the recipient of Forbes 30 Under 30 and was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her services to wildlife and environmental conservation and education. She was also recently announced as one of LinkedIn’s 2022 ‘Top Green Voices’.

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A post shared by Natalie Kyriacou OAM (@nat_kyriacou)

Kyriacou teamed up with her colleagues to co-author the Nature-Positive Australia report, sharing in a Twitter post, “The latest PwC Australia report values an Australian biodiversity market at $137 billion, but warns of some of the risks of market mechanisms in addressing the biodiversity crisis.”

The PwC report states, “The economy, human livelihoods and wellbeing are all dependent on high-functioning natural environments and their biodiversity.”

“While biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate globally, this decline is at a significantly slower rate on lands governed by Indigenous Peoples. This provides an important case study in successful stewardship of the natural environment, and the imperative to incorporate traditional wisdom in the valuing and protection of nature. In addition, it highlights the importance of centring Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ rights and agency in biodiversity policy,” the report adds.

According to the Guardian, the term “nature-positive” is globally explained in different ways with no clear definition and some fear it is too vague when it comes to implementing change.

Environmentalist Kyriacou and her colleagues have aimed to reframe the conversation about a nature-positive future in the report, also suggesting strategies to rejuvenate biodiversity and nature in Australia.

I teamed up with my colleagues to co-author a report on a #NaturePositive Australia. @PwC_AU latest report values an Aus biodiversity market at $137 billion, but warns of some of the risks of market mechanisms in addressing #biodiversity crisis. https://t.co/zTdAC6BodG #cop15 pic.twitter.com/UJiAMm9ZPn

— Natalie Kyriacou OAM (@natkyriacou) December 7, 2022

The report explores how different sectors such as government, landowners, First Nations peoples, industry and philanthropic partners, can work together to address Australia’s declining biodiversity ecosystems and continually define what a “nature-positive” future looks like.

Nature-positive discussions in government look to reform Australia’s environmental laws to better protect, restore and manage our unique environment, according to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

Strategies such as the “Connecting with Country Draft Framework” are an example of a pilot guideline that seeks to improve the planning, design, and delivery of built environment projects in NSW, Australia, by incorporating Aboriginal communities knowledge and cultural practices.

According to Kyriacou and her colleagues, there is ample opportunity for Australia to integrate nature into its economy, in addition valuing “the spiritual, cultural and emotional values that nature brings.”

You can download the report here: bit.ly/3QAsSh2