Biodiversity credits

biodiversity credits

What we do

Biodiversity credits (offsets) are attracting increasing interest as governments and the private sector seek to address biodiversity loss that occurs through development projects and activities. First used in the US in the 1970s to mitigate damage to wetlands, biodiversity offset programs have more recently been introduced more broadly. Now, more than 100 countries have enacted laws or policies that require or enable the use of biodiversity credits or are currently considering their use.

Biodiversity offsets are measurable conservation outcomes that result from actions designed to compensate for significant, residual biodiversity loss from developed projects.

How we do it

We focus on guiding companies to better manage how they interact with and impact on the natural world and embrace a science-led approach. At the same time, we understand the limits of science’s ability to solve issues, if the solutions are not workable in the business context. Therefore, we look to strike the balance of business innovation and scientific insight that enable the integration of biodiversity and nature into sustainability strategy.

We connect businesses with nature through nature-based solutions, international performance standards for development projects and identifying opportunities across global value chains. We look to understand their impacts and dependencies and make their sustainability ambitions achievable:

Why we do it

Biodiversity loss is a major environmental challenge facing humankind. Biodiversity and ecosystems provide a range of invaluable services to society that underpin human health, well-being, security and economic growth.

These services include food, clean water, flood protection and climate regulation. The OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050 projects a further loss of 10% in biodiversity between 2010 and 2050 under business-as-usual. The cost of inaction will be considerable and irreversible

Biodiversity credits, if well designed and implemented, are a policy instrument that can help mitigate these trends. The existing mitigation hierarchy need to focus more on concept of additionality, as depicted below.

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our capabilities

We bring a portfolio of mutually reinforcing services to support organizations to accelerate their ESG journeys and ensure positive ROI for shareholders and stakeholders.