Biodiversity net-gain

About biodiversity net gain

There is a growing recognition among governments and the private sector that conservation and development need to go hand in hand. Continued development is essential for economic growth and for much-needed progress on poverty, health, and other global challenges. At the same time, biodiversity impacts are often an inevitable consequence of development projects and operations.

IUCN works with governments and the private sector to development models and strategies that offer economically and environmentally sustainable solutions to business related biodiversity loss and degradation.

Building on efforts with IUCN Members and partners, the IUCN Review Protocol for Biodiversity Net Gain provides a step-by-step guide for project managers to measure their progress on achieving their biodiversity net gain targets. The Protocol describes a robust process for preparing for such a review, as well as the components required to ensure such an assessment is rigorous yet responsive to ongoing developments throughout the project lifespan.

IUCN is currently working with Newmont Mining to review biodiversity management in select operations. Together, they are exploring the company’s on-site and operational management systems on mining impacts as well as its activities related to restoration and offsets, in order to ensure better biodiversity outcomes.

Other efforts to address biodiversity net gain issues, include guidelines by IUCN and The Biodiversity Consultancy on Mitigating biodiversity impacts associated with solar and wind energy development, the IUCN-Black Mountain Mining project, which advises on the company’s plans to achieve a no net loss target for biodiversity in its Gamsberg operations.in South Africa; and the QMM Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management Committee in Madagascar, where IUCN facilitates an expert panel providing strategic insight on biodiversity and natural resource management issues.

Under the auspices of the NPI Alliance, IUCN, Rio Tinto Plc, Royal Dutch Shell Ltd and The Nature Conservancy along with the International Finance Corporation, confirmed that companies adopting net positive impact (NPI) targets needed to take a systematic and scientific approach to evaluate their biodiversity impacts, establish biodiversity conservation goals and implement actions to achieve a net gain for biodiversity over time. 

Now disbanded, the NPI Alliance produced two papers -- NPI for biodiversity: the conservation case and NPI for biodiversity: the business case.

An earlier IUCN-led a study examined how commercial agriculture and forestry production could reduce global biodiversity loss by applying these innovative approaches. The report, No Net Loss and Net Positive Impact: Approaches for Biodiversity, found that under certain conditions, applying no net loss and net positive impact approaches to agriculture and forestry landscapes associated with companies’ operations and supply chains could have a greater impact in reducing biodiversity loss than in the extractives or infrastructure sectors. 

In addition, IUCN has since developed a global policy on biodiversity offsets, as well as guidance on the implementation of the mitigation hierarchy.   

Going forward, IUCN will continue to draw on its diverse membership, and nearly 15,000 volunteer experts, to promote the uptake of a BNG approach by providing technical support, new knowledge and tools, and sharing lessons learned. IUCN aims to help business successfully achieve a net gain for nature in their operations and at a landscape level, which in turn will contribute to the global goals for biodiversity and sustainable development.