The Common Initiative

Common was founded in early 2024 by experts and leaders from the biodiversity and new economy movements, following six months of consultation with scientists and leaders from civil society, youth, women, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. It brings together a highly organised group of leading experts committed to positioning biodiversity as a key component of ongoing processes and debates on global financial reform, as a precondition for the emergence of a new global economy that works with, not against, biodiversity. We are a team of recognised interdisciplinary experts with a worldly and balanced international perspective, particularly in the fields of biodiversity, climate, development, economics and geopolitics. We have worked or held senior positions at the United Nations, Greenpeace, WWF, Friends of the Earth, Avaaz, IDDRI, Sciences Po, EFE, Caritas, Harvard, Reuters, Oxfam and Microsoft – and now we have taken on a new challenge: to shape a conversation that puts biodiversity at the heart of the new global economy. Half of the world's economy depends directly on healthy ecosystems, yet biodiversity loss continues to grow exponentially. Political commitments to change financial flows and finance the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity rather than its destruction have yet to be translated into credible and viable policy pathways. The years 2024-2025 are crucial for the global financial architecture, and it is vital that biodiversity has a seat at the table in these discussions. At this critical juncture, ground-breaking decisions must be made, and sustained pressure throughout 2030 will be essential for effective implementation. In these historic times, Common is committed to shaping economic conversations, political priorities and policy decisions to fully integrate the importance of investing in biodiversity.