Biodiversity offset
Topic: Environment and Sustainable Development · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
A biodiversity offset is conservation work that makes up for biodiversity loss a project cannot avoid. The developer first tries to avoid and reduce harm. For whatever loss is left, it pays to protect or restore similar nature somewhere else. The aim is no overall loss of biodiversity.
Example
Suppose a mining project must clear part of a grassland that is home to a rare bird. As an offset, the company restores and protects a similar grassland nearby, so the bird does not lose habitat overall.
Don't confuse with
- Biodiversity credits: these are tradable units that reward measured gains in biodiversity. They are not tied to making up for a particular project's damage.
- Compensatory afforestation: this is a legal duty in India to plant forest when forest land is diverted. It counts forest area, not the full variety of species lost.
Related concepts
- Chipko and Appiko movements
- Development-induced displacement
- Environmental impact assessment
- Compensatory afforestation
- Net present value of forests
- Green credit
- Biodiversity credits
- REDD+
- Nature-based solutions
- Polluter pays principle