Ecosystem area coverage: Quantitative measure of ecosystem extent, e.g. change in habitat cover
Unit
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The unit(s) of measurement applicable to the metric.
: Hectares (ha)
Indicator
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Indicators were developed by WBCSD. Learn more on the Methodology page.
: Area of land/freshwater/ocean-use change
Metric type
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The category of nature-related metrics. Learn more on the Methodology page.
: State
Framework alignment notes
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The details of a metric’s alignment to each framework, including where the same or similar metric can be found within the listed framework.
TNFD A5.1. Ecosystem area coverage: Quantitative measure of ecosystem extent, e.g. change in habitat cover (km²).
ESRS E4-5 41a Disclosure of ecosystem area coverage
GRI 101-07 Changes to the state of biodiversity: The organization shall (for each site reported under 101-5) report following information on affected or potentially affected ecosystems: i. ecosystem type for the base year; ii. the ecosystem size [hectares] for the base year; iii. the ecosystem condition for the base year and the current reporting period. (and report contextual information necessary)
Target example
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An example target and the target source are presented to illustrate how a target could be set for this metric. Learn more on the Methodology page.
[Company name] will have zero conversion of natural ecosystems in [target location(s)] by [2025, or earliest post-2025 date], compared with a cutoff year no later than 2020*.
(* While the cutoff date of 2020 and the goal of no conversion is aligned both to science and international commitments and policies, the target date may differ based on implementation hurdles and local context.)
The relevance and feasibility scores were determined by WBCSD member companies. Learn more on the Methodology page.
Relevance:Low
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This score reflects how well a metric considers material dependencies and impacts, aligns with key frameworks, and has the potential to drive action, determined by WBCSD member companies.
Feasibility:Medium
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This score reflects the practicality of implementation, including data availability, clarity of scope, and resource requirements, determined by WBCSD member companies.
Additional Metric Notes
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More details or context about the metric not captured above.
ACT-D stage Assess
Maturity stage Developing
Metric Contribution to Action Measuring habitat cover changes allows businesses to monitor and prevent ecosystem loss, supporting efforts to maintain ecological integrity and avoid further harm.
Observations, Successes and Challenges
Both a state and pressure metric type.
Can be measured via remote sensing (satellite imagery, LiDAR, GIS) and national biodiversity datasets.
Habitat extent alone doesn’t indicate biodiversity health, ecosystem function, or species richness.
Variations in data resolution, classification methods, and update frequency can lead to discrepancies.
Requires clear definitions on what constitutes ecosystem loss or gain (e.g., does secondary regrowth count as restored forest?).
User needs to specify ecosystem classification, e.g. Global Ecosystem Typology level 3.
Related actions
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The other actions that the metric is mapped to.
Support research and data for water and ecosystem management