an Eldis Resource

This report explores the potential of biodiversity offsets, which the authors define as conservation activities that intend to compensate for the residual and unavoidable harm to biodiversity caused by development projects. The report provides a synthesis and interpretation of semi-structured interviews about biodiversity offsets, conducted by the authors with numerous individuals globally.

The overall finding from the interviews is that biodiversity offsets are widely seen as a useful tool for managing the adverse impacts of development activities on biodiversity. Some of the potential benefits of biodiversity offsets include:

• the ability to undertake projects that might not otherwise be possible
• promote better relationships with local communities, government regulators, environmental groups and other important stakeholders
• provide a practical tool for managing social and environmental risks and liabilities
• the possibility of influencing emerging environmental regulation and policy
• reduced costs of compliance with environmental regulations
• provide a mechanism to encourage companies to make increased contributions to biodiversity conservation, without necessarily requiring elaborate new rules.

Interviews also identified the disadvantages and risks of offsets, including:

• offsets are no substitute for no go areas
• offsets are not supported by all conservation organisations, with some groups oppose to the concept entirely, preferring to lobby for an outright ban on habitat conversion
• some local communities do not consider that they stand to gain from offsets, particularly if the offsetting conservation activities take place is far from the original development site.

The report provides recommendations to companies including:

• communicate a clear strategy for how they plan to implement their policy commitments, preferably including specific, time-bound targets
• search for opportunities to participate in pilot projects to design and implement biodiversity offsets, working in collaboration with representatives from local communities and government and drawing on appropriate expertise.

The authors recommend that NGOs and conservation experts prepared to engage in the offset debate should:

• foster and contribute to dialogue on biodiversity offsets to explore their potential advantages and disadvantages
• contribute technical expertise and work with companies and governments to develop transparent guidelines and methodologies
• help to build the capacity of companies, governments and communities to discuss conservation priorities and to engage in fair and transparent discussions on offsets.

[adapted from author]

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