Case study

DUAL Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Insurance

NATURANCE Compendium

Area characterisation:

Terrestrial

Objective:

Insure biodiversity net gain unit delivery

Start/end date:

Financing:

Private

Potential impacts/benefits:

  • Financial certainty for landowners regardless of biodiversity progress
  • Investor access to rewilding and nature restoration projects
  • Supports England's mandate for 10% biodiversity net gain

Actions:

First insurance product supporting biodiversity net gain, covering habitat protection and restoration and backing biodiversity and carbon units by funding substitute units if delivery falls short.

Organisations:

DUAL, Highland rewilding

Contacts:

Case study referred by Howden / DUAL. For more information, please contact: info@naturance.eu.

DUAL has launched the first insurance product designed to support biodiversity net gain (BNG) at Highlands Rewilding's Bunloit project in Scotland. Unlike carbon credit-focused products, this solution centres on natural capital, offering landowners assurance that their land retains economic value irrespective of biodiversity progress while enabling access to investor capital for nature initiatives. The insurance covers habitat protection/restoration and backs biodiversity and carbon units sold by covering the cost of acquiring substitute units if needed. England's BNG market, mandated by the 2021 Environment Act requiring 10% biodiversity net gain for new developments, is projected to reach nearly £3 billion by 2035, with approximately 2,000 new planning applications submitted monthly.

Sustainable Development Goals:

  • 15. Life on land

  • 17. Partnerships for the goals

Publications and reports: