Biodiversity Offsets as Conservation Policy. Jo Treweek

Transcription

1 Biodiversity Offsets as Conservation Policy Jo Treweek

2 Outline What are biodiversity offsets? Recent developments in the world of offsetting. How offsets fit into UK policy and planning frameworks. Possible next steps.

3 Definition of Biodiversity Offsets Definition are: Measurable conservation outcomes resulting from actions designed to compensate for significant residual adverse biodiversity impacts..after appropriate prevention and mitigation measures have been taken...the goal is to achieve no net loss and preferably a net gain of biodiversity on the ground..

4 No Net Loss and Net Gain

5 Achieving gains) An offset must show measurable, additional conservation outcomes. Potential gain is the amount of biodiversity the offset will generate x likelihood of success: amount active restoration expected increase in biodiversity per unit area relative to baseline or benchmark stopping degradation averted risk expected reduction of ongoing decrease in biodiversity per unit area expected magnitude of biodiversity loss if risk is realised probability Probability of success, given environmental & mgt. uncertainties likelihood of risk being realised

6 Rules around offsetability

7 Typical Offset Rules: Conservation priority Gains in area and/or condition are required either within the same (habitat) type as that lost or in one of higher priority For a credible offset: Must be clearly defined, measurable, verifiable and enforceable Verification requires credible method(s) for measuring losses and gains in biodiversity to show that No Net Loss or a Net Gain has been achieved

8 Types of Credit A credit may be equivalent to: a hectare of (suitable, high quality) habitat for a particular species; an established breeding population of a particular species; the amount of habitat required to support a breeding pair; a wetland along with its supporting catchment..

9 Different ways to deliver offsets

10 Recent Developments Offsetting established in several countries as a mechanism to deliver No Net Loss policy: rules tightened on measurable outcomes. CBD COP 10 / Aichi targets require new efforts and mechanisms to halt biodiversity loss by New Global Standard agreed by BBOP. IFC Performance Standards require offsets. EU Member States endorsed the European Commission s EU Biodiversity Strategy. EU studies progressing and systems in place in France and Germany.

11 120 + conservation banks nationwide conserving about 100,000 acres of habitat for more than 60 threatened or endangered species Species Recovery Plans to offset Impacts of federal activities by enhancing habitat on non federal land

12 California red-legged frog and Alameda whipsnake credits available for mitigation, salamander credits all used up. [Photo Credit: Robert Fletcher] Ohlone Preserve Conservation Bank: high quality habitat for 3 protected species California red-legged frog, California tiger salamander, and Alameda whipsnake. Rana aurora draytonii Target 12: By 2020 the extinction of known threatened species has been prevented and their conservation status, particularly of those most in decline, has been improved and sustained.

13 Principles for a biodiversity global offset offsets standard 1. No net loss 2. Additional conservation outcomes 3. Adherence to the mitigation hierarchy 4. Limits to what can be offset 5. Landscape Context 6. Stakeholder participation 7. Equity 8. Long-term outcomes 9. Transparency 10. Science and traditional knowledge

14 PRINCIPLE 2: Additional conservation outcomes BBOP Draft standard: Example: P2 CRITERION 2-1: (Additional) Conservation outcomes due to the offset activities and would not have occurred without them. CRITERION 2-2: (Leakage) Offset designed and implemented to avoid leakage. INDICATOR 2-1-1: Evidence is provided that the conservation gains (calculated as difference between outcomes with and without offset), were caused by the offset activities. The gains are predicted for a specified, long-term period, and monitored and verified during offset. INDICATOR 2-2-1: An assessment is undertaken to identify potential leakage from the offset activities. INDICATOR 2-2-2: Offset design includes provisions addressing risk of leakage, which are implemented. KEY QUESTION: Will the offset activities described in the BOMP result in conservation outcomes that would not have occurred otherwise? CONFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS: Analysis of likely future trajectory of biodiversity with and without offset. Analysis includes consideration of uncertainty in predicting with-offset and without offset scenarios. Time-frame used based on the time-frame of expected ecosystem responses to offset activities. Gains evaluated relative to no-offset baseline condition of biodiversity. Documentation of the assumptions and methods used for considering biodiversity baseline and gain calculations. KEY QUESTION: Have the most likely sources of potential leakage been identified and evaluated? CONFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS: Etc KEY QUESTION: Have measures for preventing or managing leakage been identified? CONFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS: Etc.

15 Offsetting under the IFC Performance Standards Natural habitat: No Net Loss Critical habitat: Net Gain The design of a biodiversity offset must adhere to the like-for-like or better principle. Offsets must be carried out in alignment withbest available information and current practices

16 Ambatovy Mining Project, Madagascar ACTION 4: Protection of Ankerana Forest ACTION 3: Restoration along the pipeline ACTION 1: Conservation setaside at mine site ACTION 2: Rerouting pipeline around specific forest patches

17 by demand : intervenes on behalf of project managers who are subject to offsetting obligations or who are offsetting on a voluntary basis. by supply : carries out environmental operations to generate biodiversity credits.

18 Policy Frameworks for Offsets in the UK General requirement to seek biodiversity enhancement through Biodiversity Duty under NERC. PPS9: appropriate compensation measures if significant harm to biodiversity cannot be avoided or mitigated for. Offsets: referred to in Lawton Review Making Space for Nature Included in the White Paper Included in Biodiversity 2020 Not in NPPF but offsets are a possible mechanism to limit damage and provide net gains Voluntary offset scheme explored by Defra with pilot phase underway

19 Government White Paper: We want the planning system to contribute to our objective of no net loss of biodiversity Offsets should help to expand and restore the ecological network in England. Used in a strategic way they can help to deliver more, better, bigger and joined up networks of habitat. A consistent framework for biodiversity offsetting has the potential to improve the implementation of the requirements of the planning system for biodiversity. It could safeguard biodiversity more effectively, Offsetting should be managed locally; the approach taken should be as simple and straightforward as possible

20 England Biodiversity Strategy Mission: halt overall biodiversity loss, support healthy well-functioning ecosystems and establish coherent ecological networks.. Develop new and innovative financing mechanisms to direct more funding towards the achievement of biodiversity outcomes. Pilot biodiversity offsetting to assess its potential to deliver planning policy more effectively. Local Nature Partnerships More integrated large-scale approaches to conservation Nature Improvement Areas

21 Draft National Planning Policy Framework Our natural environment is essential to our wellbeing, and it can be better looked after than it has been. Habitats that have been degraded can be restored....species that have been isolated can be reconnected.. Minimise impacts.. Net gains where possible. Planning positively for the creation, protection, enhancement and management of biodiversity networks.

22 Defra discussions on offsets.. A well-managed scheme can benefitthe ecological network by pooling a number of offsets required for separate small developments into a larger and more beneficial habitat block. This can be done without imposing additional burdens on developers. We suggest that the evidence base is developed, and the overarching principles tested, through pilot schemes in willing local authority areas.

23 DEFRA 2011 Proposed Metrics Impact Offset Habitat Area (hectares) Habitat Distinctiveness (2 to 6) LOSS = x x Based on BAP categories Condition Weighting (1 to 4) Based on Higher Level agrienvironment Scheme (HLS) Habitat Area (hectares) Habitat Distinctiveness (2 to 6) GAIN = x x Condition Weighting (1 to 4) x Risk Multiplier (1 to 10) x Spatial Risk Multiplier (1 to 3) x Time Multiplier (1.2 to 3) Moilanen et al, 2009 Making Space For Nature (Nat. Env. White Paper) 3.5% discount rate: multiplier = 0.965e *yrs

24 Offsets can deliver for conservation.. Better than nothing? The Biodiversity Strategy lends itself to design of tradeable biodiversity credits. Planning system already allows for developer contributions and has an aspiration to achieve biodiversity enhancement. Existing agri-environment schemes create a precedent for individual landowners to manage their land for conservation benefit and there are tried and tested administrative procedures in place. Many local authorities are under-resourced with respect to the Biodiversity Duty under NERC and would benefit from increased investment to address hidden costs of development.

25 But Policy intent open to interpretation: no requirement No legal trigger or regulatory framework Financial and legal mechanisms unclear Developers could be seen as buying themselves out of planning policies and restrictions Owners of higher value land likely to be disadvantaged under current proposals Offsets could undermine existing provision Relationship with other developer contribution frameworks is unclear: e.g. how to ensure s106/ CIL delivers biodiversity when appropriate?

26 Planning context for offsets National Planning and Policy Frameworks. Align offset policy with conservation goals and commitments Regional Land Use Planning/ SEA/ regional or sub-regional targets/aggregated offsets Single Project EIA/ EcIA/ individual offsets

27 Planning to optimise outcome: e.g. strategic networks, Nature Improvement Areas Offset receiving areas could be strategically defined to reflect results of opportunity mapping or to create networks

28 Mapping potential BAP habitat Any landowner with potential to restore or create lowland meadow could provide lowland meadow credits