Biodiversity Offsetting in New Zealand Dr Laurence Barea Science - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Good Practice Biodiversity Offsetting in New Zealand

Dr Laurence Barea Science and Policy Group Department of Conservation lbarea@doc.govt.nz September 11, 2015

Introduction

• 1. Context
• 2. What is Biodiversity Offsetting?
• 3. Biodiversity Offsets and other forms of impact

management?

• 4. NZ Good Practice Guidance
• 5. Focus on several key areas
• 6. The Future?

Context

What is Biodiversity?

The New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy describes biodiversity as:

the variety of all biological life — plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms — the genes they contain and the ecosystems

• n land or in water where they live. It is the diversity of life on

earth.

Pimmgroup.org

• The decline in New Zealand’s terrestrial biodiversity is

continuing!

• Conservation estate (33% of NZ) over represents forest and

higher elevation biodiversity.

• Some of our most threatened species and ecosystems occur on

private land in lowlands.

• Ongoing clearance and degradation - intensification of

agriculture, urban expansion and other development pressures.

Biodiversity Continues to Decline

Economy & Biodiversity?

NZ’s economic systems don’t fully account for the value

• f biodiversity in;

– National economic measures and prosperity – Prices for goods and services

Biodiversity Economy Our wellbeing is eroded when biodiversity is lost!

Can Offsets Contribute?

– Internalises biodiversity loss with project cost – Removes public subsidy on nature – Possibly, under certain circumstances but needs to be robust transparent and consistently applied. Inception $$ Biodiversity Cost Operational $$

Biodiversity Offsetting Defined

NZ Guidance adopts BBOP definition – broad international acceptance (including IUCN); “Measurable conservation outcomes resulting from actions designed to compensate for significant residual adverse biodiversity impacts arising from project development after appropriate prevention and mitigation measures have been taken. The goal of biodiversity offsets is to achieve no net loss and preferably a net gain of biodiversity on the ground”

Offsetting is a Principled Process

NZ Guidance: 10 principles developed collaboratively by BBOP. – Principles define and underpin the concept of biodiversity offsetting: ecological and social contexts. – Support its definition and provide a standard for expected outcomes: how and what you do is important! – Foundation of the New Zealand Guidance (& IUCN draft policy).

Offsets are one form of Impact Management

Often termed Mitigation or Compensation

No management = biodiversity loss Unquantified management (often like for unlike) or partial assumed NNL; residual effects

• ften remain

Management actions not designed to demonstrate and achieve no net loss / net gain are not biodiversity offsets

after BBOP 2012 Standard on Biodiversity Offsets

Good Practice Offset

Demonstrated NNL or net gain for all significant residual effects (needs like for like)

Improved Biodiversity Outcomes

Offsets v other Approaches

Offsets differ from other forms of impact management by;

• 1. Following the mitigation hierarchy before addressing

residual impacts with an offset.

• 2. Measurement and balancing of biodiversity losses and

gains.

• 3. Explicit goal of no net loss to be reasonably

demonstrated and then achieved on the ground.

NZ Biodiversity Offsets Programme

• 3 year CDRP research programme.
• DOC lead: MfE, MPI, MBIE, LINZ.
• Draws from broadly accepted international standards

(BBOP).

• Developed with input from external ecologists and

practitioners.

• Outcome - Good Practice Biodiversity Offsetting in

New Zealand.

Implementation & Monitoring What is biodiversity offsetting? Context & Definition Principles Key Elements Mitigation Hierarchy Limits NNL Currencies/Accounting Offsetting in NZ Legal context RMA, CA, CMA Good Practice Biodiversity Offsetting in NZ Additional Technical Support Limits to Offsets Currencies & Accounting Uncertainty and Risk Management Plans

Key Elements

Mitigation Hierarchy

Principle 1: Mitigation Hierarchy

Only after appropriate avoidance, minimization and on-site rehabilitation measures have been taken. Integral part of no net loss with offsets as the last step. Avoidance Minimise [mitigate] Remedy

Avoidance is always best!

Biodiversity State

Good Poor Predevelopment Residual Impact Offset NNL

Last Step in Mitigation Hierarchy

NG Status Quo PI AV AV RM MI

Limits to Offsets

Principle 2: Limits to what can be offset

(offsets are not always possible!)

There are situations where residual impacts cannot be offset due to the irreplaceability or vulnerability of the affected biodiversity. Failing to asses limits and transparently communicating outcomes can lead to inappropriate use of offsets.

Assessing Limits is a Process

1. Assess Level of Conservation Concern Highly vulnerable or irreplaceable biodiversity? More vulnerable More irreplaceable

High Low

Assessing Limits is a Process

• 2. Assess Offset Opportunity

– Offset site availability? – Capacity for gain at offset site?

• 3. Assess Offset Feasibility

– Available knowledge/technical ability: can we measure & manage it? – Adequacy of long term implementation & monitoring plans. – Are time lags addressed? – Financial & institutional capacity – don’t link outcomes to coal prices!

Guidance recommends a process to combine these elements to categorise likelihood of success and burden of proof

Burden of Proof Framework

High Low Low High

Conservation Concern Offset Opportunity & Feasibility

after Pilgrim et al 2013 Conservation Letters 6(5): 376-384

No Net Loss & Currencies

Principle 4: No Net Loss

A biodiversity offset should be designed and implemented to demonstrate no net loss and preferably a net gain.

• 1. species composition (community; threatened species)
• 2. structure (vegetation tiers, relative proportions)
• 3. ecosystem function (hydrology; pollination/seed dispersers)
• 4. people’s use and cultural values (social context)

Like for Like & Trading Up

NNL requires like for like exchanges i.e. same or similar type of biodiversity. A good practice offset should demonstrate: High biodiversity values should not be exchanged for

• ther values.

Exception = trading up (but!)

What is No Net Loss?

Point where biodiversity gains balanced to match biodiversity losses = no net reduction. Requires quantification of losses and gains and balancing Need to capture biodiversity in a currency Biodiversity Type Amount Condition

Offset Currency

Basis for comparing losses/gains and biodiversity exchange.

content defines what is meant by no net loss! counts and measures ‘how much of what’ is being exchanged must capture what we care about

Need to think carefully about the composition of biodiversity at impact and offset site, can it be measured?

NNL = content of currency! Science and social process. Stakeholders matter!

Currency

Structure of a Currency

Attributes Components Type

Vegetation tiers Functional roles Species identity Lowland podocarp forest Kanuka treeland Coastal turf Number individuals in tier/class/ha Mean litter depth Measure of species abundance Accounting System/Model

Develop BOMP: detail in consent conditions. Adaptive management and reporting

Can NNL be Demonstrated in the Model?

NNL supported? NNL for all biodiversity types? NNL for components & attributes? Transparent defensible outcome? Offsetting principles? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Offset goal not met Residual adverse effects remain consider

• ther approaches

Refine project reassess offset

A View to the Future?

• Voluntary offsets limited uptake globally. Need regulated offsets. NNL

in advance of development?

• Need national level policy – welcome Indigenous Biodiversity NPS.
• National level policy direction on non-offsetable ecosystem types.

Ecosystem classification and spatial planning.

• Regional/district level strategic offsets contributing to policy driven

conservation goals, but guard against cost shifting!

• IUCN draft policy aligned with global thinking including NZ Guidance.

Detail in supporting guidance will be critical.

Thank You!

Dr Laurence Barea Science and Policy Group Department of Conservation +64 7 858 1049 | lbarea@doc.govt.nz