Data Gaps Impede Progress on Nature-Related Sustainable Development Goals

Insufficient data exists to assess progress against 58% of environment-related Sustainable Development Goals at the global level, according to a joint analysis by CDP and GRI. Corporate environmental disclosure is identified as a critical mechanism to fill these gaps, particularly for SDG 14 (life below water) and SDG 15 (life on land).

The world is currently on track to meet only 22% of environment-related SDGs, with biodiversity-related goals among the least reported. Biodiversity loss — driven by deforestation, intensive agriculture and urban expansion — has reduced average native species abundance by at least 20% across major terrestrial biomes, while 32 million hectares of primary forest were lost between 2010 and 2015. Around one million species face extinction, reinforcing calls for private sector accountability through structured disclosure.

CDP and GRI co-hosted a side event at the 2022 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development to highlight how corporate data can bridge nature-related SDG gaps. IMF and NGFS representatives emphasised that incomplete nature data poses systemic risks to the financial sector. CDP mapped its climate, forests and water questionnaires against six environmental SDGs, while GRI updated its guidance on linking disclosures to all 17 Global Goals, enabling investors and governments to assess business contributions to nature targets more precisely.

CDP committed in 2023 to add new biodiversity-specific questions to its disclosure platform and to begin scoring companies against scientific benchmarks covering impacts, portfolios and transition plans. GRI's Biodiversity Standard update, due in mid-2023, is designed to establish best practice for reporting biodiversity impacts. Both organisations anticipate strong business engagement at COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, with policymakers expected to create incentive structures to encourage wider private sector participation in nature reporting.

Key figure — 58% of environment-related SDGs lack sufficient data