England Goes Green

Long awaited legislation intended to increase biodiversity in England has gone into effect.  Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requires all new building projects to result in a 10% net gain in habitat.  The gains may be on-site or remote through a system of credits.  England also experiences a housing shortage, so the government is plans 300,000 new homes year by the mid-2020s. So in a nation that has lost 97% of its wildflower meadows, this new scheme will have major impact on development.  A biology researcher at the University of Oxford said the plan was one of the most ambitious offset policies on an international scale. Other nations like Sweden, Scotland and Wales want to copy it.  BNG covers all development and all natural habitats.  [ a BNG pilot project in Sussex, credit UK Guardian]

Biodiversity markets around the world are underfunded due to the lack of demand for credits.  Making a scheme mandantory will provide the economic driver needed to increase participation.  Another problem seen by experts is under-enforcement of the rules.  Regulators lack the resources to monitor pledged offsets.  Effective enforcement of BNG is needed to make the program successful.  Some see the use of technology such as drones or satellite monitoring as a means to make enforcement work better.  A study found that a quarter of BNG projects are at risk for not producing the 10% increase in biodiversity expected.  

At first, farmland located on marginal soils are expected to be the target of withdrawals in favor of creating wetlands, woodland and meadows.  More private concerns are showing interest in voluntary biodiversity credits, however.  It is still early days in the process, but the recognition that biodiversity is a public good like law enforcement or national defense,  must be funded by government or private sector investment through policy, regulation and incentives.  Green Kudos!