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Narain D, Sonter LJ, Lechner AM, Watson JEM, Simmonds JS, Maron M. Global Assessment of the Biodiversity Safeguards of Development Banks that Finance Infrastructure. Conserv Biol 2023:e14095. [PMID: 37042094 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Infrastructure development is a major driver of biodiversity loss globally. With upwards of US$2.5 trillion in annual investments in infrastructure, the financial sector indirectly drives this biodiversity loss. At the same time, biodiversity safeguards (project-level biodiversity impact mitigation requirements) of infrastructure financiers can help limit this damage. The coverage and harmonization of biodiversity safeguards are important factors in their effectiveness and therefore warrant scrutiny. It is equally important to examine the extent to which these safeguards align with best-practice principles for biodiversity impact mitigation outlined in international policies, such as that of the IUCN. We assessed the biodiversity safeguards of public development banks and development finance institutions for coverage, harmonization, and alignment with best practice. We used Institute of New Structural Economics and Agence Française de Développement's global database to identify development banks that invest in high-biodiversity-footprint infrastructure and have over US$500 million in assets. Of 155 banks 42% (n = 65) had biodiversity safeguards. Of the existing safeguards, 86% (56 of 65) were harmonized with International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standard 6 (PS6). The IFC PS6 (and by extension the 56 safeguard policies harmonized with it) had high alignment with international best practice in biodiversity impact mitigation, whereas the remaining 8 exhibited partial alignment, incorporating few principles that clarify the conditions for effective biodiversity offsetting. Given their dual role in setting benchmarks and leveraging private finance, infrastructure financiers in development finance need to adopt best-practice biodiversity safeguards if the tide of global biodiversity loss is to be stemmed. The IFC PS6, if strengthened, can act as a useful template for other financier safeguards. The high degree of harmonization among safeguards is promising, pointing to a potential for diffusion of practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Narain
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Laura J Sonter
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Alex Mark Lechner
- Urban Transformations Hub, Monash University, Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) City, Jakarta
| | - James E M Watson
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Jeremy S Simmonds
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Martine Maron
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
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Souza BA, Rosa JCS, Campos PBR, Sánchez LE. Evaluating the potential of biodiversity offsets to achieve net gain. Conserv Biol 2023:e14094. [PMID: 37021395 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Evaluating the outcomes and tracking the trajectory of biodiversity offsets is essential to demonstrating their effectiveness as a mechanism to conciliate development and conservation. We reviewed the literature to determine the principles that should underpin biodiversity offset planning and the criteria for offset evaluation at the project level. According to the literature, the core principles of equivalence, additionality, and permanence are used as criteria to evaluate conservation outcomes of offsets. We applied the criteria to evaluate offsets of a large iron ore mining project in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. We examined equivalence in terms of the amount of area per biodiversity value affected and fauna and flora similarity, additionality in terms of landscape connectivity, and permanence in terms of guarantees to ensure protection and restoration offsets lasting outcomes. We found an offset ratio (amount of affected area:offset area) of 1:1.8 for forests and 1:2 for grasslands. Ecological equivalence (i.e., similarity between affected and offset areas) was found for forested areas, but not for ferruginous rupestrian grasslands or for fauna. Landscape metrics showed that connectivity improved relative to the preproject situation as a result of locating restoration offsets in the largest and best-connected forest patch. Permanence of offsets was addressed by establishing covenants and management measures, but financial guarantees to cover maintenance costs after mine closure were lacking. Offsets should be equivalent in type and size, provide conservation outcomes that would not be obtained without them (additionality), and be lasting (permanence). To monitor and evaluate offsets, it is necessary to determine how well these 3 principles are applied in the planning, implementation, and maintenance of offsets. Achieving measurable conservation outcomes from offsets is a long-term endeavor that requires sustained management support, and is information intensive. Thus, offsets require ongoing monitoring and evaluation as well as adaptive management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Almeida Souza
- Department of Mining and Petroleum Engineering, Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Josianne Claudia Sales Rosa
- Department of Mining and Petroleum Engineering, Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Pedro Bueno R Campos
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Philosophy, Languages and Human Sciences, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luis Enrique Sánchez
- Department of Mining and Petroleum Engineering, Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Bradley HS, Tomlinson S, Craig MD, Cross AT, Bateman PW. Mitigation translocation as a management tool. Conserv Biol 2022; 36:e13667. [PMID: 33210780 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mitigation translocation is a subgroup of conservation translocation, categorized by a crisis-responsive time frame and the immediate goal of relocating individuals threatened with death. However, the relative successes of conservation translocations with longer time frames and broader metapopulation- and ecosystem-level considerations have been used to justify the continued implementation of mitigation translocations without adequate post hoc monitoring to confirm their effectiveness as a conservation tool. Mitigation translocations now outnumber other conservation translocations, and understanding the effectiveness of mitigation translocations is critical given limited global conservation funding especially if the mitigation translocations undermine biodiversity conservation by failing to save individuals. We assessed the effectiveness of mitigation translocations by conducting a quantitative review of the global literature. A total of 59 mitigation translocations were reviewed for their adherence to the adaptive scientific approach expected of other conservation translocations and for the testing of management options to continue improving techniques for the future. We found that mitigation translocations have not achieved their potential as an effective applied science. Most translocations focused predominantly on population establishment- and persistence-level questions, as is often seen in translocations more broadly, and less on metapopulation and ecosystem outcomes. Questions regarding the long-term impacts to the recipient ecosystem (12% of articles) and the carrying capacity of translocation sites (24% of articles) were addressed least often, despite these factors being more likely to influence ultimate success. Less than half (47%) of studies included comparison of different management techniques to facilitate practitioners selecting the most effective management actions for the future. To align mitigation translocations with the relative success of other conservation translocations, it is critical that future mitigation translocations conform to an established experimental approach to improve their effectiveness. Effective mitigation translocations will require significantly greater investment of time, expertise, and resources in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly S Bradley
- ARC Centre for Mine Site Restoration, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, Perth, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Sean Tomlinson
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, Perth, WA, 6102, Australia
- Kings Park Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kattij Close, Kings Park, WA, 6005, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Michael D Craig
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
- School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Adam T Cross
- ARC Centre for Mine Site Restoration, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, Perth, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Philip W Bateman
- Behavioural Ecology Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, Perth, WA, 6102, Australia
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Narain D, Maron M. Cost shifting and other perverse incentives in biodiversity offsetting in India. Conserv Biol 2018; 32:782-788. [PMID: 29473220 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity offsetting aims to compensate for development-induced biodiversity loss through commensurate conservation gains and is gaining traction among governments and businesses. However, cost shifting (i.e., diversion of offset funds to other conservation programs) and other perverse incentives can undermine the effectiveness of biodiversity offsetting. Additionality-the requirement that biodiversity offsets result in conservation outcomes that would not have been achieved otherwise-is fundamental to biodiversity offsetting. Cost shifting and violation of additionality can go hand in hand. India's national offsetting program is a case in point. Recent legislation allows the diversion of offset funds to meet the country's preexisting commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). With such diversions, no additional conservation takes place and development impacts remain uncompensated. Temporary additionality cannot be conceded in light of paucity of funds for preexisting commitments unless there is open acknowledgement that fulfillment of such commitments is contingent on offset funds. Two other examples of perverse incentives related to offsetting in India are the touting of inherently neutral offsetting outcomes as conservation gains, a tactic that breeds false complacency and results in reduced incentive for additional conservation efforts, and the clearing of native vegetation for commercial plantations in the name of compensatory afforestation, a practice that leads to biodiversity decline. The risks accompanying cost shifting and other perverse incentives, if not preempted and addressed, will result in net loss of forest cover in India. We recommend accurate baselines, transparent accounting, and open reporting of offset outcomes to ensure biodiversity offsetting achieves adequate and additional compensation for impacts of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Narain
- Independent Researcher, Bunglow 35, Western Railway Officers Colony, Carter Road, Bandra, 400050, India
| | - Martine Maron
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
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