The role of research in helping to address biodiversity loss and achieve nature positive goals

Under the Green Wadham umbrella, we are working hard to engage our community with sustainability. As part of this drive, we are interviewing researchers in our community who are tackling issues connected to sustainability and the environment.

Our graduate student, Rachel Martin (DPhil Biology, 2024), spoke to us about her research, which focuses on assessing and validating nature-positive claims across ecosystems and economic sectors. Rachel is particularly interested in exploring how predictive models can enhance our understanding of biodiversity change and guide conservation actions and in achieving global goals for both climate and conservation, while building on her past work evaluating drivers of extinction and solutions to biodiversity loss.

Rachel told us more about her research and her aim of providing decision-makers with tools to better understand and address biodiversity loss, thereby contributing to global efforts to achieve nature positive goals:

"Nature is declining at an unprecedented rate, driven largely by how our economies produce and consume food, energy, materials, and infrastructure. In response, nearly 200 countries have committed to ambitious global goals: halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 and achieving full recovery by 2050. Yet turning these commitments into real-world outcomes depends heavily on the private sector. This rallying call and measurable goal for the planet is Nature Positive - ensuring more nature in the world in 2030 than in 2020 and continued recovery after that." 

"My research explores what businesses must do to move from contributing to nature's loss toward delivering measurable nature-positive outcomes. I look at quantifying biodiversity impacts across economic sectors, evaluate how companies measure and report their nature-related risks and responsibilities, and analyze the scale of change required among the most influential industries."

By identifying realistic pathways for companies to contribute to biodiversity recovery, Rachel's work helps to clarify what genuine Nature Positive commitments require in practice. Ultimately, she aims to support more informed corporate decision-making and to deepen understanding of the economic transformations needed to meet global biodiversity goals.