The COMBO Project Introductory Training: The Mitigation Hierarchy, Offsets and Planning for No Net Loss Launch meeting, Kampala 27-28 June 2016 1 Credit Tullow
Agenda Session 1: The foundations – introduction to core concepts 8:30 Welcome & meeting objectives Introduction of core concepts 10:30 Coffee 11:00 Examples, case studies Exercise (‘ Mitigation Hierarchy’ ) and Discussion 12:00 Lunch Session 2: Technical focus: Elements of best practice 13:30 Key scientific, technical, implementation issues Exercise ( ‘ What counts as gain?’ ) and Discussion 15:30 Coffee 16:00 Roles of government; lessons learned; additional resources 17:00 Close of training and launch of COMBO Project 2 COMBO Launch meeting, Kampala – 27-28 June 2016
Purpose of the course (1) Develop shared vocabulary on mitigation of impacts on biodiversity; (2) Develop a common understanding of the basics of mitigation hierarchy; (3) Exchange information on international best practice on mitigation, including biodiversity offsets; (4) Introduce “ COMBO ”; (5) Provide information about further resources 3 COMBO Launch meeting, Kampala – 27-28 June 2016
Introduction of participants 4 4 COMBO Launch meeting, Kampala – 27-28 June 2016
Session 1: The foundations 8:30 Welcome & meeting objectives Introduction of core concepts: • Mitigation hierarchy, incl. biodiversity offsets • Direct, indirect and cumulative impacts • Drivers & trends; State of the world on NNL, NPI • BBOP Principles and IFC PS6 • Stakeholder involvement • EIA and NNL 10:30 Coffee 11:00 Examples, exercise and discussion • Examples: project level and system level • Exercise ( “ Mitigation Hierarchy ” ) • Q&A and discussion • Introduction to short afternoon exercise 12:00 Lunch 5 COMBO Launch meeting, Kampala – 27-28 June 2016
Why the mitigation hierarchy and planning for No Net Loss? Development - by 2050 : Biodiversity: CBD Aichi targets – by 2020: Population 33% “ At least halve and, where feasible, bring close to Food demand 100% zero the rate of loss of natural habitats, including Mining 60% forests” Energy 80% 17% of terrestrial and inland water areas and 10% Carbon emissions 50% of marine and coastal areas protected ….all bringing impacts on biodiversity At least 15% of degraded ecosystems restored through conservation and restoration How to reconcile development with conservation? • Avoid, to the extent possible, the impacts of biodiversity • Minimise the impacts you can’t avoid • Restore after unavoidable impacts have taken place • Offset any remaining residual impacts Follow the ‘Mitigation hierarchy’ and Plan for ‘No Net Loss’ or a ‘Net Gain’. 6
The Mitigation Hierarchy including Offsets Net Gain / Net Positive Impact Additional + Conservation (NPI) No Net Loss (NNL) Actions Biodiversity Impact Offset No Net Loss Offset Offset Predicted impact (PI) Predicted impact (PI) Residual - Restore Impact Biodiversity Impact Mini- Mini- mise mise Source: BBOP, adapted Avoid Avoid Avoid from Rio Tinto and government of Australia 7
Direct and indirect impacts Indirect Impacts Unplanned settlement Mine Primary impacts Direct impacts Road Road Planned town Planned town Factory Factory Access to new Access to new Expanded Expanded Town Town land e.g. forest land e.g. forest 8
Cumulative impacts in Uganda
Cumulative impacts: strategic approach Source: Namibia SEA 10
Landscape-level planning and the Mitigation Hierarchy • The mitigation hierarchy is applied at different scales, from regional to site-level. • LLP important at regional level (e.g. to identify alternatives, areas to avoid, http://www.shadedrelief.com/ conserve) Site-level planning A. Skowno, 2009; Source: Biodiversity for Development, SANBI 2010. Regional biodiversity plan 11
Planning for biodiversity and NNL Integration of the mitigation hierarchy at various levels and spatial scales National scale Regional scale Landscape scale Landscape and land use planning and Project scale Strategic Environmental Assessment EIAs 14
Avoidance is better than remedy! Early planning of mitigation measures is important. It helps with: • Preventing harm from the outset, which is more effective than mending afterwards (e.g. through restoration, offsetting) • Early warning and good risk management • Identifying the most suitable and cost effective mitigation measures • Cost of avoidance and minimization often less than cost of offsets 15
Drivers for better mitigation: recent advances 39 countries with laws or policies on NNL/NG, Laws biodiversity offsets or compensation. 22 countries developing them. Loan conditions and Standards NNL - natural habitat Net Gain - critical habitat Corporate commitments, projects, and case studies 40 companies with NNL or related commitments. 50 companies with Zero Net Deforestation commitments . Methodologies Regulated systems Voluntary approaches 16
What are biodiversity offsets? Biodiversity offsets are measurable conservation outcomes resulting from actions designed to compensate for significant residual adverse biodiversity impacts due to project development after appropriate avoidance, minimisation and restoration measures have been taken. The goal of biodiversity offsets is to achieve no net loss or a net gain of biodiversity on the ground with respect to species composition, habitat structure, ecosystem function and people’s use and cultural values associated with biodiversity. http://bbop.forest-trends.org / 17
Principles agreed by BBOP Members 1. Adherence to the mitigation hierarchy 2. Limits to what impacts can be offset 3. Landscape context 4. No net loss 5. Additional conservation outcomes 6. Stakeholder participation 7. Equity 8. Long-term outcomes 9. Transparency 10. Science and traditional knowledge 18
The Biodiversity Offset Standard Purpose: - To help auditors assess conformance . - To help companies design & implement offsets . Approach: - Principles-based - Flexible approach (any methods that meet principles) Structure: Principles: Fundamental statements about a desired outcome. Criteria: Conditions that need to be met to comply with a Principle . Indicators: Measurable states to tell whether a Criterion has been met. AND Guidance Notes • Interpretation of Indicator • …. Explains terms, concepts • Key questions • …. What assessor needs to answer • Conformance requirements • …. To meet the standard • Possible causes of non-conformance • …. Examples of not meeting the Std 19
Offset vs. Compensation Biodiversity offset: • Designed to achieve ‘ no net loss ’ or ‘ net gain ’ Compensatory conservation, e.g.: • Not planned to achieve no net loss •Doesn’ t quantify loss/gain • Not established for long term implementation • Impossible to offset the impacts • impacts too severe or pre-impact data lacking • Financial payment, not biodiversity result 20
Offset vs. Compensation Compensation Offset NNL Net gain Some Some investment No (No net investment in in conservation, compen- loss) conservation aim to address sation but not footprint, but quantified to only based on balance the some impacts values/impacts Would satisfy ‘No Net Loss’ req’s and Standards, e.g. IFC PS6, BBOP Standard on Biodiversity Offsets 21
State of Offsets Globally: • 2014: 39 countries with existing laws or policies on NNL/NG, biodiversity offsets or compensation. 22 developing them. US mitigation • 2011: Annual market size (mostly USA!) min. US$ 2.4-4.0 billion. Likely banking increasing: much more (80% of programs not transparent enough to estimate market 1,044 active and size). Conservation impact: >187,000 hectares annually. sold-out wetland, stream and Europe: Germany – conservation banks.. banking. France, UK, >15,000 ha annually. Sweden – initial 500,000 hectares steps cumulatively . ten Kate & Crowe, 2014 Madsen et al 2011 IUCN, Forest Trends Ecosystem Marketplace Forest Trends Latin America : Brazil Australasia: Several Forest Code & Australian states (NSW, Compensation Law. Victoria, Northern Colombia: Compensation Territories, Queensland, Africa: South Africa state and Guidelines; Peru: Western Australia) and national level under development. Ministerial Resolution on federal. NZ underway Namibia: integration into SEA. Work Compensation. Chile: Vietnam, Japan, underway in Mozambique, Uganda, Compensation Guidelines. Mongolia. Madagascar and Guinea.
IFC-Performance Standard 6 Natural Habitat: No net loss, where feasible Critical Habitat: Net gains PS 6 on Biodiversity Offsets: • Measurable conservation outcomes reasonably expected to result in no net loss and preferably a net gain of biodiversity. Net gain is required in critical habitats. • The design of a biodiversity offset must adhere to the “like -for- like or better” principle. • Must be carried out in alignment with best available information and current practices. • External experts with knowledge in offset design and implementation must be involved. • Guidance Note 6 references the BBOP Principles as an internationally recognized standard in biodiversity offset design. 24
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