Resource

Study on specific design elements of biodiversity offsets: Biodiversity metrics and mechanisms for securing long term conservation benefits

Author/Contact:

European Commission
Directorate-General for Environment
1049 Brussels
Belgium

Publication date:

Resource description:

The EU's biodiversity strategy specifies a target to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2020. A No Net Loss initiative is an important component of the EU's strategy to achieve this. In accordance with the mitigation hierarchy, it will seek to strengthen efforts to first avoid, then minimise, then restore losses of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and to compensate for any residual losses. Previous research has identified two main types of design criteria that biodiversity offsets must address if they are to achieve no net loss. These criteria relate to the definition of offset requirements, and to arrangements for implementing offsets and habitat banking.

Requirements:

  • Biodiversity offsets have been identified as an essential component of an EU No Net Loss initiative. Offsets will contribute to achieving the EU's strategy to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2020, providing they are carefully designed to achieve measurab
  • This study researches the requirements and options of specific design elements of biodiversity offsets, with a view to implementing and operationalising the EU No Net Loss initiative by 2015. It reviews international best practice of designing offset metr
  • It is clear that different offset metrics and different combinations of mechanisms will be appropriate in different EU countries and in different situations and locations. As such an EU offset policy should allow for a balance to be struck between systems

Advantages:

  • This study has provided an opportunity to improve our understanding of these two aspects of offsets design, and how they might work in the EU. It examined: the metrics used to determine offset requirements for biodiversity and ecosystem services
  • and the mechanisms used to secure long term conservation benefits .
  • These two elements are important in the design of any offset or compensation scheme, and need to be considered when applying offsets under existing rules (such as any compensation for impacts under the Habitats and Environmental Liability Directives) as w

Constraints:

  • The focus is on the practical issues that would need to be addressed if offsets were to be promoted across the EU, rather than the advantages and disadvantages of offsets as a policy option.

Licence:

  • Free, no licence

Development stage:

  • Full, working product
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