Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Marianne Darbi, IÖR Dresden

METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scale

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Presentation

Leibniz Institute of Ecological and Regional Development, Dresden, Germany

Research department Development and Management of Landscapes

Field of research: Landscape, Environmental and Spatial Planning

Themes: Biodiversity, Landscape, Impact Mitigation, Planning Instruments,

EIA/SEA

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Outline

1. Background

2. Biodiversity compensation

3. Research on Biodiversity compensation at IÖR

4. Study on compensation approaches at global scale: Goal and methodical Steps

5. Output of the study and obstacles encountered

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Background

blabla Global Biodiversity Outlook 2006:

Increasing pressure on species and their habitats and biological

diversity in general

Biodiversity loss

Use value of biodiversity for mankind:

Economy and society rely on nature and landscape

Mankind is dependent on the products and services of biological

diversity

Besides conservation and sustainable use compensation and restoration are of central importance to stop the decline of biological diversity.

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Biodiversity Offsets

“Biodiversity Offsets are conservation activities intended to compensate for the residual,

unavoidable harm to biodiversity caused by development projects” ten Kate et al. 2004

“Biodiversity offsets seek to ensure that unavoidable adverse environmental impacts of

development are counterbalanced by environmental gains” Escorcio Bezerra 2006

Biodiversity compensation

Biodiversity

„variability among living organisms from all

sources

including, inter

alia, terrestrial,

marine and other

aquatic

ecosystems and

the ecological

complexes of

which they are

part: this

includes diversity

within species,

between species

and of

ecosystems“

Art. 2 CBD

AVOIDANCE

MINIMISATION

COMPEN-SATION

PAYMENT

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Research on Biodiversity Compensation

Project BIOKOM

International Approaches to

Compensation for Impacts on

Biological Diversity

December 2007 – September

2008

Project BIOKOM MONEY

Compensation Pools and

Agencies in Germany

October 2008 – May 2009

Project BIOBANK

Pool- und Banking Models to compensate for Impacts on Biological

Diversity

August – December 2009

BBOP

Platform:

Business and

Biodiversity

Offset

Program

Member of

BBOP Science

Work Group

Since June

2009

Dissertation VOLUNTARY BIODIVERSITY OFFSETS

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Step2: Main Research

Study on compensation approaches at global scale: Goal and methodical stepsGoal

Identify and compare international compensation approaches for impacts on biological diversity in the world Recent state and conclusions that can be drawn for German and International Impact Mitigation and Compensation

Step1: Exploring Research

Internetbased worldwide research

Step3: Case Studies

Analysis of documents and websites, Contact to

experts

Contact to Experts

Methodical Steps

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Step 1: Exploring internet research

Biological Diversity and the CBD,

The German IMR Eingriffsregelung as defined in the German Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG),

Appropriate assessment according to the European Habitats Directive and

Environmental Impact Assessment and the EIA Directive.

Development of an analytical framework, containing terms and phrases

Extraction of key terms and generation of search inquiries, which were then entered into Google

Information gathered in a database

Four thematic areas related to compensation for impacts on natural systems and processes:

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Seven search inquiries

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Step 1: Exploring internet research

Biological Diversity and the CBD,

The German IMR Eingriffsregelung as defined in the German Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG),

Appropriate assessment according to the European Habitats Directive and

Environmental Impact Assessment and the EIA Directive.

Development of an analytical framework, containing terms and phrases

Extraction of key terms and generation of search inquiries, which were then entered into Google

Quantitative and Qualitative research

Information gathered in a database

Four thematic areas related to compensation for impacts on natural systems and processes:

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Database

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Results of the Exploring research andSteps 2 and 3: Main research and Case studies

8/19

• downloaded documents and web pages were explored in detail and the extracted information was analysed

• Identification of projects and stakeholders (experts, practitioners, members of the administration etc.) were identified in each of the countries

• analysis of actual projects• Telephone expert

interviews and email exchanges with experts

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Compensation Approaches in Selected Countries

Argentina: EIA, Environmental Compensation FundBrazil: Forest offsets, Project offsets and Conservation Units, Proambiente

ProgramChina: Eco-compensation (in discussion), pilot projects (road planning, land

consolidation, hydropower)Egypt: EIA/ESIA, sectoral guidelines for major projectsMadagascar: sectoral EIA guidelines for major projects, MEC for existing

companies, FOREAIM Project: Restoration in degraded forest landscape in Eastern Africa, Eco-Certification

Mexico: EIA, Program for Environmental JusticeSouth Korea: Substitute Habitats for Dams, Wetland Mitigation Banking (in

discussion), Pilot Projects on Impact Mitigation Regulation

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Output of the study

• Several hundred documents were identified, assembled in a database and analysed. Experts in different countries made contributions.

• Preliminary results and findings for this study were presented to the public during COP9 in May 2008 in Bonn. Further presentations will be made in order to discuss the results in professional circles, e.g. the BBOP network.

• As main findings an overview on compensation practices in selected countries on the background of the specific legal and institutional framework was elaborated and assumptions for further research were formulated.

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Obstacles encountered

• The chosen medium for the research, the internet, may only present a fragmentary spotlight on the situation in the examined countries.

• The information overload of the internet made it difficult to extract only relevant information.

• Information on the internet changes at fast rate.• Language restrictions were reduced to a minimum.• Different terminology is used for impact mitigation approaches in different

countries.• The identification of and contact with experts was challenging and time-

consuming.

Exploring internet research and expert interviews – methods to identify approaches to compensation for impacts on biological diversity at global scaleIÖR Dresden, Marianne Darbi, METIER Final Conference, 4-6 November 2009, Brussels

Thank you for your attention!