England is launching a biodiversity credit scheme this week that attempts to force all new road and housebuilding projects to benefit nature, rather than damage it.
The “nature market”, called biodiversity net gain (BNG), means all new building projects must achieve a 10% net gain in biodiversity or habitat. If a woodland is destroyed by a road, for example, another needs to be recreated. This can happen either on site or elsewhere.
The requirement becomes law under the Town and Country Planning Act on 12 February for larger sites, and on 2 April 2024 for smaller sites.
Wow, some genuinely smart and wide ranging legislation! I didn't think the Tories had it in them!
Internationally, “it’s one of the most ambitious schemes we’ve seen”, said Duffus. “Other places are watching us and seeing how it unfolds. If done well I think it could inspire a lot of other markets to develop in different countries.”
Those already hoping to copy the idea or use it to develop their own include Sweden, Singapore, Scotland and Wales, she said.
Isn't it nice to be a world leader in something good for a change? Surely there's a cloud on the horizon though?
However, regulators lack the staff to check the pledged habitat benefits actually materialise. Zu Ermgassen was part of a study that found that more than a quarter of BNG units are at risk of leading to no tangible increases in biodiversity because there is no monitoring system in place.
Ah. Of course. Once again, ambition is brought low by lack of support.
