1. The objective of this Standard is to set out Disclosure Requirements (DRs) related to biodiversity and ecosystems, particularly with respect to the sub-topics specified in paragraph 6 of this Standard. If not all the sub-topics prescribed by this Standard are to be reported following the materiality assessment, paragraph 30 of ESRS 1 General Requirements applies.

2. The sustainability statement shall provide information in relation to ESRS E4 Biodiversity and Ecosystems if this topic relates to material impacts, risks and opportunities. Such information shall cover all the reporting areas listed in paragraph 5 of ESRS 1 General Requirements.

3. The DRs in this Standard complement the provisions in ESRS 2 General Disclosures, which require the undertaking to disclose information about topics related to material impacts, risks and opportunities, in particular:

4. In this Standard, each DR is introduced by a disclosure objective except for policies, actions and targets, for which the provisions in ESRS 2 GDR-P, GDR-A and GDR-T provide the necessary framing for the relevant DRs.

5. This Standard takes account of EU regulatory frameworks and other relevant frameworks, including the vision of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and its relevant goals and targets, relevant aspects of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, EU Birds and Habitats Directives (Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 92/43/EEC), the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council), the 2023 EU Marine Action Plan, the EU Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament), and the Nature Restoration Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 of the European Parliament and of the Council).

6. This Standard sets out DRs with respect to the following sub-topics: drivers of biodiversity and ecosystem change; the state of species; the condition and extent of terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems; and ecosystem services.

7. The terms 'biodiversity' and 'biological diversity' refer to the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, freshwater, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part.

8. Context-specific considerations are particularly important in relation to biodiversity and ecosystems. If material impacts, risks or opportunities are related to specific geographies, it is important to consider appropriate aggregation or disaggregation of the reported information, e.g. by site, ecosystem or another level in accordance with ESRS 1 General Requirements, Chapter 3.3.2 Level of Aggregation, Disaggregation.