Imagine waking up to find that your water supply has dried up, your crops will not grow, or your business operating costs have doubled because the ecosystems your business depends on have deteriorated. This is not a distant environmental concern; it is an emerging economic reality.
If you run a beverage company, what is a clean river worth to your operations? If you work in agriculture, what happens when pollinators decline? If you operate hotels, how much of your occupancy rate depends on Rwanda’s landscapes and wildlife?
Nature is not separate from the economy. It underpins it. Clean air, fertile soil, reliable water systems and biodiversity -- our natural capital --form the foundation of productivity, trade and long-term prosperity. Yet natural capital per person declined by 20 per cent between 1995 and 2020, even as produced capital rose by 47 per cent. Biodiversity loss now ranks among the top global economic risks.
For Rwanda, the stakes are particularly high. More than 70 per cent of the population depends on agriculture, contributing 26 per cent of GDP. Biodiversity-driven tourism generates approximately USD 620 million annually. Watersheds sustain both hydropower and water security.
Environmental degradation therefore directly affects jobs, energy supply, food systems and national competitiveness.
But risk is only part of the story. Countries that embed nature into economic planning are attracting investment, strengthening resilience and opening new markets. Ecosystem restoration alone could generate 32 million jobs globally by 2030, with every dollar invested yielding between USD 7 and 30 in benefits. The direction of travel is clear: markets are beginning to price nature.
A practical framework for action
In October 2025, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) launched ISO 17298, the first global standard for biodiversity management. It provides organisations with a systematic approach to measure, manage, and report their biodiversity impacts and dependencies.
ISO 17298 gives businesses a clear pathway: identify how ecosystems affect operations, assess risks from environmental degradation, capture opportunities to reduce costs and access new markets, and communicate transparently with investors and customers. It integrates with management systems many organisations already use, including ISO 14001 and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).
The standard is designed to work across Rwanda's diverse economy—from smallholder farmers to tourism operators and financial institutions. It can be applied at a single site or across entire supply chains, making it accessible regardless of organizational size.
As disclosure expectations tighten globally, early adoption positions businesses to meet emerging requirements while accessing sustainable finance and strengthening competitive advantage.
From risk management to competitive advantage
For businesses, biodiversity standards are not a compliance burden; they are strategic tools.
In agriculture, using the standard to assess improved soil health and pollinator protection sustains yields and open access to premium markets.
In tourism, measuring and managing ecosystem impact strengthens brand value and responds to growing demand for responsible travel.
For financial institutions, understanding portfolio exposure to nature-related risks allows the development of innovative financial products tied to verified environmental performance.
This is where standards become catalytic. Investors increasingly request credible, comparable data. Access to green bonds, sustainability-linked loans and international climate and biodiversity funds depends on verifiable metrics.
Rwanda has already demonstrated momentum, with green bond issuances and expanding Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) disclosure requirements. Businesses that can demonstrate robust biodiversity management will be better positioned to access these instruments.
Payment for Ecosystem Services provides a concrete example. Downstream users -- beverage companies, hotels, manufacturers -- depend on upstream landholders who maintain forests and wetlands that secure water quality. Structured mechanisms that measure and verify ecosystem performance can translate this dependency into sustainable financial flows.
Standards create the credibility that turns environmental stewardship into bankable value.
Rwanda’s opportunity
Rwanda has built strong environmental institutions and sustainability frameworks, including implementation of its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, sustainability disclosure guidelines from the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR), and the development of ESG standards by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA).
The Rwanda Green Fund (RGF), Rwanda Environmental Authority (REMA) and United Nations Development Programme-BIOFIN (Biodiversity Finance Initiatives) are piloting biodiversity finance solutions and strengthening regulatory capacity.
The next step is coordination and scale.
National adoption of ISO 17298 through Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) could provide clarity and consistency for businesses. Linking certification to the Green Taxonomy, sustainable finance instruments and public procurement incentives would create a direct pathway from environmental performance to economic reward.
Capacity-building for executives, Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs) and key sectors will be essential. The Executive Sustainable Finance Course offered by UNDP in partnership with Kigali International Finance Centre (KIFC) and other initiatives are building the technical capacity needed for market-wide adoption.
Leadership at this stage is not symbolic -- it is strategic.
The cost of delay
Globally, more than 600 organisations have committed to TNFD-aligned reporting. Sustainability standards increasingly influence trade and investment decisions, particularly in agriculture and tourism; two pillars of Rwanda’s economy.
Competitor markets are advancing their sustainability frameworks. Investors are tightening disclosure requirements. Supply chains are screening for environmental performance. Businesses that delay risk facing higher compliance costs in the future, reduced market access and diminished investor confidence.
Biodiversity loss is no longer a distant environmental concern, it is an immediate economic risk for Rwanda, where agriculture, tourism, and energy depend directly on healthy ecosystems.
ISO 17298, the first global standard for biodiversity management, offers businesses, financial institutions, and policymakers a practical framework to measure, manage, and communicate their biodiversity impacts, turning environmental stewardship into competitive and financial advantage.
Rwanda’s strong institutional foundation: from the Rwanda Standards Board and the National Bank of Rwanda’s sustainability guidelines to the Rwanda Green Fund and UNDP–BIOFIN’s biodiversity finance work, positions the country to lead on this agenda. Given this context, the immediate next steps are:
For businesses:
Engage with the Rwanda Standards Board on certification pathways. Assess biodiversity dependencies and risks with available technical support. Integrate biodiversity into core strategy rather than treating it as a standalone initiative.
For financial institutions:
Develop nature-linked financial products anchored in credible standards. Assess portfolio exposure to nature-related risks and align lending criteria accordingly.
For policymakers:
Accelerate national adoption of ISO 17298. Introduce incentives for early adopters. Align biodiversity certification with sustainable finance frameworks to create coherent market signals.
Rwanda has the institutions, policy frameworks and financial instruments to translate biodiversity protection into competitive advantage. The standards exist, funding mechanisms are in place and the technical support is available.
The decisive factor now is speed.
UNDP Rwanda, through its BIOFIN programme and partnerships with Kigali International Finance Centre, Rwanda Standards Board, and national regulatory bodies, stands ready to support each of these steps—providing technical assistance, facilitating stakeholder engagement, and connecting Rwandan businesses and institutions with global best practices and financing opportunities as they move from commitment to implementation.
Irene Iradukunda is a Biodiversity Finance Analyst at UNDP Rwanda, with expertise in climate and biodiversity financing, and a deep passion for nature and the vibrancy of ecosystems.