A pragmatic framework for local operationalisation of national-level biodiversity impact mitigation commitments

Thomas Benjamin Atkins , Natalie Elizabeth Duffus, Amber J. Butler, Hannah C. Nicholas, Sophus O.S.E zu Ermgassen, Prue Addison, E.J. Milner-Gulland

Countries around the world are attempting to navigate complex trade-offs between biodiversity and other land use objectives such as infrastructure expansion, with many adopting ‘net outcomes’ policies that aim to ensure economic development leaves biodiversity better off than before. The implementation of net outcomes policies often occurs on a project-by-project basis, which can lead to implementation missing opportunities for integrated thinking that delivers across multiple objectives. Here, we present a new practical framework for delivering a biodiversity mitigation strategy that achieves multiple societal objectives whilst being applicable at the scale of an individual project. This framework is also a pilot methodology for implementing a newly-proposed mechanism in the UK for accounting for the value of biodiversity in public policy (via proposed additions to the Treasury’s Green Book). We apply the framework to the case study of a major development in Oxfordshire subject to Biodiversity Net Gain legislation. Three offsetting strategies are co-created with local stakeholders, which all meet the required biodiversity gains, but differ with regards to social equity and the bundle of ecosystem services delivered. Making these contrasting project characteristics transparent and comparable empowers local stakeholders to choose the offset strategy that meets their local preferences across these often-competing priorities, whilst helping contribute to overarching strategic development goals.