Biodiversity offset are gaining attention throughout the world and during the last years many South American countries have set regulatory frameworks to allow biodiversity offset to take place. South America is a region of high biodiversity and where economic growth is mainly driven by primary extractive industries. In this scenario, engaging in offset schemes raise a number of challenges and there is sufficient agreement among scholars and policymakers that governments need to create necessary conditions where an offset scheme has a reasonable probability of functioning (Gelcich et al, 2106). The study identifies certain condition needed to enable and support offset implementation, and analyses to what extent Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru have developed or is in track of developing these conditions. This assessment is timely as offsets schemes are increasingly being integrated into governmental regulations and policies in the selected countries.
The methodology approach consist on a desk-based review combined with semi-structured interviews to (1) identify the conditions that governments need to enable and support offset schemes, (2) assess the extent to which the conditions are in place, and (3) identify whether important gaps in the biodiversity offset schemes exist. The framework selected for the review included biodiversity offsets embedded within the environmental license process at the national level. The respondents were identified through their involvement and expertise in biodiversity offset schemes in the focal countries.
Base on the literature review and interviews, the study identified the following enabling conditions: (1) appropriate and clear legal offset framework are set for biodiversity values, (2) clear national conservation goals, (3) rigorous application of the mitigation hierarchy, (4) in country institutional capacity, (5) generation of biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES) data, (6) monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, (7) stakeholder engagement; (8) financial incentives to secure long-term management and outcome. Findings suggest that all surveyed countries have developed offset frameworks and even further guidance; however, none of the countries have all the conditions in place and several gaps need to be overcome. Main gaps are related to (1) weak technical and institutional capacity, especially at sub-national levels; (2) poor application of the mitigation hierarchy; (3) lack of accurate BES data; and (4) lack of appropriate financial mechanism to secure permanence of offset actions. The report also stresses the need to develop further comprehensive and detailed guidance and metric for specific ecosystems (i.e. marine biome and Amazon rainforest); enhance vertical and horizontal coordination among different government entities; strengthen monitoring and enforcement requirements; and ensure appropriate stakeholder engagement. Furthermore, countries need to set clear long-term conservation goals that would provide better understanding when deciding how much impacts matters, and thus finding the best way to trade losses and gains of biodiversity.
Biodiversity offsets can offer opportunities to balance economic, social and environmental concerns, yet it is not enough to have legal frameworks in place. The cases of the four South American countries show that several gaps need to be overcome if offset are to deliver effective outcomes. Political will and resources are needed to create the necessary conditions to enable and support offset implementation.
Keywords: Biodiversity offsets, enabling elements, South America, mitigation hierarchy
3a. Life on land
