ISSB and TNFD align to streamline nature-related definitions
The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) recently announced that they’re converging their work to support coherence in global ESG reporting. The ISSB will begin a process focused on nature-related disclosures, drawing directly on the TNFD’s framework. In response, the TNFD will complete its ongoing technical work by Q3 2026 and pause further development.
The ISSB aims to integrate the TNFD’s approach, using the metrics, and sector specific insights developed by the project as a core foundation. A public consultation on the draft is expected ahead of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP17 in October 2026.
Growing alignment in all aspects of ESG – and financial – reporting is good news. While there is plenty of water to go under the bridge, and it is by no means certain that the ISSB will adopt a biodiversity standard, this is a logical and welcome development. We might point out that harmonised, digital, sustainability reporting standards (ie: XBRL taxonomies) increase comparability, reduce reporting fragmentation, and make ESG data more accessible and decision-useful for investors worldwide. As this collaborative work progresses, structured data will play an essential role in ensuring that nature-related disclosures are not just informative, but interoperable.
