Realising a vision of no net loss through marine biodiversity offsetting in Australia

Abstract

Biodiversity offsets are increasingly used in policy frameworks to regulate the environmental impacts of development including projects located in marine environments. Scientific knowledge gaps and other practical challenges have necessitated flexibility concerning the manner in which key offsetting principles are implemented in policy frameworks relevant to such environments. The potential tradeoff of such flexibility is that consequent marine offsetting practice may not be compatible with the ultimate objective of no net loss of biodiversity. Here we present a systematic review of marine and coastal development projects in Australia, examining how offsetting is being implemented in practice. Forty-two (42) projects were assessed, predominantly located in Queensland and Western Australia and associated with the development and operation of ports. We find that application of key biodiversity offsetting principles (e.g. ecological equivalence) was frequently incomplete or absent. For approximately 50% of reviewed projects we were unable to identify public information concerning how offsetting requirements were established. The current environmental outcomes of marine biodiversity offsetting in Australia are unclear but there are indications that it is unlikely to achieve no net loss of biodiversity.

Deep-Sea Mining With No Net Loss of Biodiversity—An Impossible Aim

“…These criteria, particularly that of additionality, are designed to ensure that the net balance of biodiversity is only ever measured against the scenario most likely to have occurred in the absence of impact or compensatory intervention (Ferraro and Pattanayak, 2006). The strict application of these criteria, essential to realize an aim of NNL and to avoid offset misuse, have been found to be challenging in marine contexts (UNEP-WCMC, 2016;Niner et al, 2017b).…”

Biodiversity Offsets Can Be a Valuable Tool in Achieving Sustainable Development Developing a Holistic Model for Biodiversity Offsets That Incorporates Environmental, Social and Economic Aspects of Sustainable Development

“…In order to be considered appropriate, indirect offsets need to provide measurable biodiversity gains (Gardner et al, 2013). As the link between indirect offset activities and measurable biodiversity outcomes is not always clear, regulators usually require direct offsets over indirect offsets (Niner, Milligan, Jones & Styan, 2017). Therefore, this review will focus on direct biodiversity offsets.…”

Securing accumulation by restoration – Exploring spectacular corporate conservation, coal mining and biodiversity compensation in the German Rhineland

“…Experiences across the world (Burgin, 2010;Gordon et al, 2015;Kaiser, 2001;Kihslinger, 2008;Maron et al, 2015Maron et al, , 2012Robertson, 2004Robertson, , 2012Santos et al, 2015;Brock, 2015, among others) have shown that the ecological 'success rate' of offsetting was questionable at best. They point to the problems of measurements, accounting methods and lack of fungibility and commensurability of nature (Maron et al, 2015;Niner et al, 2017;Pawliczek and Sullivan, 2011;Robertson, 2004Robertson, , 2012Sullivan and Hannis, 2015). Scholars have illustrated the value struggles and the politics around offsetting tools and measurements (Robertson, 2012;Sullivan and Hannis, 2015), and offered compelling critiques of the economic rationality and quantitative frameworks underlying the offsetting ideology and the profit accumulation through offsetting (e.g.…”

“…Scholars have illustrated the value struggles and the politics around offsetting tools and measurements (Robertson, 2012;Sullivan and Hannis, 2015), and offered compelling critiques of the economic rationality and quantitative frameworks underlying the offsetting ideology and the profit accumulation through offsetting (e.g. Maron et al, 2015;Niner et al, 2017;Pawliczek and Sullivan, 2011;Robertson, 2004Robertson, , 2006. These are grounded in and further exacerbate what Dunlap and Sullivan (2019) call 'accumulation by alienation'.…”