SNAPP TEAM:Compensatory Conservation
Which compensatory conservation program conditions and methods most effectively protect biodiversity and ecosystem services?

Industry development can have a detrimental impact on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Compensation programs like biodiversity offsetting are increasingly designed to counterbalance ecological impacts. But are they effective? Compensatory conservation policies are rapidly becoming popular management strategies, making it crucial to better understand these initiatives and ensure that they have the best possible outcomes for biodiversity and people.

 

OUR APPROACH: This working group is developing criteria for identifying the type of compensatory approach most likely to deliver equitable conservation benefits across a range of objectives and linking different approaches to specific in-country conditions. The team is also analyzing the impacts and outcomes of different compensatory approaches for biodiversity and people in a variety of case study countries.

Team Status: COMPLETED
Team Critical Challenge: Social Innovations
Results

A Framework for Target-based Ecological Compensation

The team developed a framework that will lead to a more explicit link between project-level compensation and jurisdictional biodiversity targets. The framework has now been presented to a wide range of stakeholders in Africa, Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania.

Excel Tool for Compensation Multipliers

The team developed an easy to use Excel tool for the use of calculating improvement and maintenance multipliers in order to inform the development of a policy framework founded in the target-based approach. This tool will simplify the calculation of ‘how much’ and ‘what type’ of compensation is needed to address a particular biodiversity loss.

Modeling Offset Scenarios in Different Countries

The team was able to model and analyze a range of offsetting scenarios in four study locations; East Kalimantan (Indonesia), Minas Gerais (Brazil), Brigalow Belt (Australia), and Cabo Delgado (Mozambique). This study provided insights into the challenges and limitations of current approaches to biodiversity offsetting.

Operationalizing Global No Net Loss 

The team presented a guiding framework for the implementation of a global goal of no net loss of ecosystems, for which a key facet is equitable translation to country-level contributions. 

Impacts

“Our new framework will help support the achievement of global biodiversity targets while also achieving the Sustainable Development Goals – and it is encouraging to see governments already incorporating our approach into policy design.”

— Martine Maron, Project co-leader

Key Products
Conservation policy in the spotlight

This news coverage from the IUCN features an interview with project co-lead, Martine Maron.

Moving from biodiversity offsets to a target‐based approach for ecological compensation

Paper published by the team discussing a framework that advances ecological compensation to ensure achievement of overarching targets for biodiversity conservation.

Social impacts of biodiversity loss

Members of the team contributed to compilation of methods for incorporating human well-being into development projects and developed principles for assessing the social social impacts of biodiversity loss on communities.

Global goal for no net loss of natural resources

Team published paper on how in-country circumstances need to be accounted for to determine contributions to a global goal of no net loss of ecosystems.

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Team
Leaders
Martine Maron
The University of Queensland
James Watson
Wildlife Conservation Society
Members
Leon Bennun
The Biodiversity Consultancy
Thomas Brooks
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Guy Dutson
The Biodiversity Consultancy
Steve Edwards
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Victoria Griffiths
University of Oxford
Julia Jones
Bangor University
Kerry Ten Kate
Forest Trends
Joe Kiesecker
Land & Water Conservation Science, TNC
Hugh Possingham
The Nature Conservancy
Philippe Puydarrieux
IUCN
Fabien Quétier
Biotope
Hugo Rainey
Wildlife Conservation Society
Dilys Roe
International Institute of Environmental and Development (IIED)
Conrad Savy
International Finance Corporation
Jeremy Simmonds
The University of Queensland
Laura Sonter
The University of Queensland
Mathieu Souquet
Biotope
Todd Stevens
Wildlife Conservation Society
Ray Victurine
Wildlife Conservation Society
Amrei von Hase
Wildlife Conservation Society
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