Recommendations for "biodiversity-friendly rooftop greening"

Rooftop and wall greening

Recommendations for "biodiversity-friendly rooftop greening"

1. Passage of the Biodiversity Promotion Activities Promotion Act

On April 2025, 4, the House of Councilors passed the Biodiversity Promotion Act. The bill unifies the "Nature Coexistence Sites" certification system for biodiversity conservation areas into the "Enhancement Activity Implementation Plan," establishing a new certification system. The background to this legislation is the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework (12by2022) in 30 and the Cabinet decision of the Japanese government's "National Biodiversity Strategy 30-2023" in 2023. These changes are expected to accelerate a "nature-positive" approach that halts biodiversity loss and promotes its recovery. Globally, the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) has been established, encouraging private companies and financial institutions to disclose information on risks and opportunities related to natural capital and biodiversity. This legislation also relates to ESG management and sustainable management, requiring large companies in particular to disclose to investors and stakeholders their involvement with nature and the protection and conservation activities they are undertaking. It is expected that related companies will also be required to disclose their efforts regarding biodiversity, just like decarbonization Scope 2030. The enactment of the Biodiversity Promotion Activities Promotion Act will provide a boost to these efforts.

2. Roles and Responsibilities of Companies

The following two points can be cited as the impacts on businesses as a result of the passage of this bill.
① Companies' voluntary conservation activities are evaluated as a system
② Addressing biodiversity in ESG information disclosure will become more important
In particular, under "① Corporate voluntary conservation activities will be evaluated as a system," not only corporate-owned land and green spaces at factories will be recognized as having public value through the certification of "nature-friendly sites," but also biodiversity conservation activities.
Regarding "② Biodiversity considerations will become more important in ESG information disclosure," more specific descriptions of "biodiversity" will be required in non-financial disclosures such as sustainability reports and environmental reports. While legal obligations are currently limited, they may be strengthened in the future.

Source:Ministry of the Environment (https://www.env.go.jp/content/000253465.pdf)

Inventory of your company's green space and natural capital

Conservation activities aimed at certifying the "Enhancement Action Plan"

Strengthening information disclosure and dissemination

Various collaborations and partnerships with local governments, NPOs, etc.
You will need to:

3. Biodiversity-friendly rooftop greening

"Biodiversity-conscious rooftop greening" refers to a rooftop greening method that introduces locally-sourced seedlings onto building rooftops to create spaces favorable for the habitat of living organisms. KYODO KY-TEC has been an early advocate of this method and has expanded it nationwide. Rooftops are not just places that comply with legal green space regulations; planting endemic plants promotes the preservation of indigenous species and creates habitats for living organisms. Furthermore, incorporating rainwater storage and runoff control functions into rooftop greening systems can fulfill their green infrastructure functions. This is linked to the legally mandated "Enhancement Action Plan" and, although there are conditions such as target size (0.1 hectares or larger in urban areas), is expected to be utilized under the certification system mentioned above. KYODO KY-TEC provides comprehensive services for biodiversity-conscious rooftop greening, from planning and design to construction and maintenance. Japan's biodiversity has been steadily declining for the past 50 years, so biodiversity-conscious rooftop greening is one option that contributes to a "nature-positive" society.
Source:Ministry of the Environment (https://www.env.go.jp/content/000253465.pdf)