Biodiversity offsetting is the application of conservation activities in one place to compensate for biodiversity losses elsewhere (usually nearby). Since the Government first mentioned the idea in their Natural Environment White Paper in 2011 offsetting has been a source of much controversy in the UK. The debate intensified with the publication of a consultation paper on the policy in September 2013, so in 2014 the IES decided to find out what you thought.
This poll has now closed, and the results show that very few respondents consider biodiversity offsetting to be a good idea which has been applied well. The remaining votes are split, with marginally more respondents considering that offsetting is a good idea which has been poorly applied than those believing it is a bad idea full stop.
The future of biodiversity offsetting is currently uncertain, as we await the outcomes of several pilot schemes set up by the government to test the policy.
Recent resources from the IES relevant to biodiversity offsetting:
- 'Nature is worth a lot more than nothing!'
- 'Biodiversity offsetting: help or hype?'
- 'Mainstreaming ecosystem science into policy and decision-making'
- Could offsetting be considered a 'clumsy solution' in a world of 'Wicked problems'?
Vote in our new poll, on environmental issues and the election, here.
