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 on land or in water where they live. It is the diversity of life on earth . Pimmgroup.org
Biodiversity Continues to Decline • 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.
Economy & Biodiversity? NZ’s economic systems don’t fully account for the value of biodiversity in; – National economic measures and prosperity – Prices for goods and services Economy Biodiversity Our wellbeing is eroded when biodiversity is lost!
Can Offsets Contribute? Inception $$ Operational $$ Biodiversity Cost – Internalises biodiversity loss with project cost – Removes public subsidy on nature – Possibly, under certain circumstances but needs to be robust transparent and consistently applied.
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 Good Practice Offset Improved Biodiversity Outcomes Demonstrated Unquantified No management NNL or net gain for management (often = biodiversity loss all significant like for unlike) or residual effects partial assumed (needs like for like) NNL; residual effects often 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
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.
What is biodiversity offsetting? Context & Definition Principles Good Practice Offsetting in Implementation & Biodiversity NZ Legal context Monitoring Offsetting in NZ RMA, CA, CMA Key Elements Mitigation Hierarchy Limits NNL Currencies/Accounting 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!
Last Step in Mitigation Hierarchy Residual Impact Good NG Predevelopment NNL Offset PI Biodiversity State MI Status Quo RM AV AV Poor
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 High More irreplaceable 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 Offset Opportunity & Feasibility Low Low High Conservation Concern 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 other values . Exception = trading up (but!)
What is No Net Loss? Point where biodiversity gains balanced to match biodiversity losses = no net reduction. Biodiversity Type Amount Condition Requires quantification of losses and gains and balancing Need to capture biodiversity in a currency
Offset Currency Basis for comparing losses/gains and biodiversity exchange. content defines what is meant by no net loss! Currency 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!
Structure of a Currency Type Lowland podocarp forest Kanuka treeland Coastal turf Components Vegetation tiers Functional roles Species identity Attributes Accounting Number individuals in tier/class/ha System/Model Mean litter depth Measure of species abundance
Can NNL be Demonstrated in the Model? NNL supported? Yes NNL for all Refine project biodiversity types? reassess offset Yes Offset goal No not met NNL for components & attributes? Residual adverse Yes effects remain consider other approaches Transparent defensible outcome? Yes Develop BOMP: detail in consent conditions. Offsetting principles? Adaptive management Yes and reporting
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
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