Nature Positive, as the word “positive” suggests, is a guideline that aims not only to maintain biodiversity but also to restore it. This is not a temporary trendy word. It is essential for the survival of the human race and needs to be tackled urgently by political and economic communities around the world acting in unison. COP15 (the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity) held in December 2022 clearly stated that its targets should be achieved by 2030. (*1)

Loss of biodiversity is already a crisis, but if the target is achieved it will have a significant positive impact on the economy. According to estimates based on a report by the World Economic Forum, if the economy shifts to a nature-positive direction, the business opportunities created in Japan will amount to approximately 47 trillion yen by 2030. (*2) However, clear goals and supporting statements are necessary to raise funds and acquire customers through nature-positive management. This is why “Environmental DNA Analysis” is now attracting attention as an effective measurement method which is easy to introduce and has a low environmental impact. We asked Professor Hiroki Yamanaka, Ryukoku University Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology and a leading expert in this field, about the possibilities of this method.

Professor Yamanaka discovered Environmental DNA Analysis around 2009. “Myself and my research team started presenting at academic conferences in 2011, and gradually became well-known. At that time, the term “nature positive” did not exist. In recent years, however, awareness and trust have increased to the point where the Ministry of the Environment includes “Conduct of Environmental DNA Analysis” in its specifications when tendering for public projects.”

The method works like this. The DNA of organisms is extracted from the water collected from an area and analyzed using PCR to determine the species that live in that environment. What is revolutionary is that there is no need to collect the organisms themselves, making it possible to conduct ecological surveys at a significantly reduced cost and environmental impact. Each year Professor Yamanaka conducts Environmental DNA Analysis at 100 sites around Lake Biwa with the participation of local citizens. Last year (2023) he found the DNA of alien fish which had not yet been identified. Professor Yamanaka hopes that “we will be able to take prompt action if we can detect alien species at an early stage,” adding that previously it “had not been possible to identify the species until they were actually caught.”

Nevertheless, there are challenges. “These ecosystem data are inevitably localized. If we could collect data extensively through satellites that forward uploaded data from upcoming automated eDNA monitoring robots, turning biodiversity data into Big Data, it would be possible to predict the future of ecosystems on a global scale. However, Japan currently lags behind compared to the active use of Environmental DNA Analysis data in Europe and the USA. I hope that the importance of the project will be better understood and that more progress will be made in terms of mechanisms and funding."

There are high expectations for Environmental DNA Analysis in the industry. “Transition Strategies toward a Nature Positive Economy,” published by the Ministry of the Environment in 2024, suggests that biodiversity-friendly goods or services will have a significant impact on the value assessment of companies. (*3) Professor Yamanaka predicts that “in the future, society will become such that only companies which develop their business in a nature-positive direction will be able to survive.”

The assessment and disclosure of businesses impacting the natural environment is becoming ever more important. This is why Environmental DNA Analysis, which visualizes ecosystems, is attracting so much attention. The construction consulting industry was the first to introduce the system. In recent years, however, there has been an increase in consultation on its introduction from small- and medium-sized enterprises closer to the field. Collaborators are becoming increasingly diverse, including beverage companies and companies that conduct business in the textile industry. According to Prof. Yamanaka, "effectiveness measurement is the first foundation that needs to be put in place when working on Nature Positive initiatives. If any companies are interested in taking the first step, we would be delighted to hear from them.”