Planet Pioneers: Nature Positive Entrepreneurs are Heading to Abu Dhabi's IUCN World Conservation Congress
Our planet is facing unprecedented pressures. Industrialization and unchecked human expansion have triggered what scientists call the triple planetary crisis: climate change, biodiversity loss, and widespread pollution - ushering in the sixth mass extinction.
The latest Living Planet Report (2024) reveals a staggering 73% decline in monitored wildlife populations since 1970, with freshwater species suffering 85% declines. Meanwhile, over 75% of Earth's land surface is now degraded, and our oceans face mounting threats from pollution, overfishing, and acidification - exemplified by record sargassum blooms in 2025 that smothered shorelines from West Africa to the Caribbean.
Our economies and societies are fundamentally intertwined with nature through ecosystem services - from carbon sequestration and pollination to clean air and water. If current trends continue, we risk ecological collapse with catastrophic consequences.
Yet awareness is growing, reinforced by major environmental conventions and global gatherings. The Middle East, having hosted recent COP summits, is now preparing to welcome the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi. Such gatherings do more than set agendas - they ignite innovation and motivate entrepreneurs to create solutions for today's environmental crises.
A new wave of nature-positive entrepreneurs is rising to the challenge: some taking direct action through nature-tech and conservation innovations, others transforming high-impact industries like agriculture and construction. Alongside them, investors are recognizing the opportunity, with many funds expanding into nature and biodiversity.
This article explores these emerging nature-positive businesses and NGOs, highlighting Middle East examples and growth opportunities. Most will share their solutions at the IUCN Congress in Abu Dhabi, October 8-15.
EarthAcre is a Kenya-based company that developed a digital platform to help communities protect and restore biodiversity on their lands. By tracking consent, land ownership, and ecosystem health, it enables traceable payments and creates new income opportunities through nature-based assets and markets."As a member of the Maasai community, I know the local perspectives and concerns firsthand - that trust shapes our platform," says EarthAcre co-founder Patita Nkamunu.
Read the full article at: https://www.entrepreneur.com/en-ae/news-and-trends/planet-pioneers-nature-positive-entrepreneurs-are-heading/497721
