Rethinking Environmental Impact Assessment for nature positive development

Holly Louise Kirk , Dale Wright, Georgia E Garrard, Casey Visintin, Matthew Selinske, Sarah Bekessy

Achieving “nature positive” development within existing regulatory frameworks will be challenging. Halting and reversing biodiversity loss requires protection, restoration, and enhancement of ecosystems alongside a fundamental shift in how biodiversity is valued and quantifiable improvements are assessed. A new approach is needed because traditional Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) focused on mitigating negative impacts will not promote positive outcomes. We propose an additional EIA pathway that assesses the potential for biodiversity gains at development sites, reframing biodiversity as an asset to be enhanced, rather than as a problem to avoid. By adding the identification of biodiversity-enhancing opportunities to development planning, this approach encourages actions that support sustainable and resilient ecosystems, providing a clearer link to the social and economic benefits that can also be accumulated. Through two hypothetical case studies, we illustrate how this nature positive pathway identifies biodiversity potential. We also discuss how developers may be incentivized to align with the global nature positive agenda.