Biodiversity Offsets in BC: Provincial Policy Success and Challenges

Environmental Mitigation Policy - Drivers and intent

General Principles: Offsets Trial Application

- Success - Challenges

Moving Forward

Jennifer Psyllakis BC Ministry of Environment

Environmental Mitigation Policy: Drivers

2

Lack of consistent standards leading to variation in the way environmental impacts are addressed

Greater interest in, and lack of awareness of, financial & other tools to support environmental mitigation

Need for greater consistency and transparency for mitigation planning

Policy and Procedures to ensure consistent approach to the application of mitigation.

Fits within existing legislative framework & supports existing processes.

Voluntary application

Decision-support tool

Environmental Mitigation Policy: Intent

Avoid

Minimize

Offset

Restore On-Site

General Principles: Offsets Offsets deliver tangible, measurable, on-the-ground

outcomes.

Outcomes are additional to what otherwise would be achieved through existing natural resource management programs or activities.

Amount of offsetting increases in accordance with the degree of uncertainty of the effectiveness of the offset measure(s), the risk to the environmental component or both.

Offsetting measures will be designed to obtain the best result for environmental component in the shortest timeframe practicable, considering the effort and resources expended.

Offsetting funds will include the full costs of implementation for the duration of the offset.

Offsetting measures will be designed to obtain the best result for environmental component in the shortest timeframe practicable, considering the effort and resources expended.

Offsets need to be legally secured for the duration of the offset commitment.

All offsetting-related costs are the responsibility of the proponent whose project or activity results in the adverse impact.

General Principles: Offsets

Trial Application: Successes

Greater transparency

– Decision points (and gaps) clearly articulated – Mitigation, including offsets, directly linked to

impacts – Clarified approaches to offsetting – Improved staff/proponent understanding,

particularly for agreement on financial offsets – Overall approach to mitigation rationalized

Trial Application: Successes

Consistency – Mitigation plan template – Impact assessment workbook

Accountability – Specific commitments to outcomes – Clarified responsibilities for implementing

Resolved decision barriers – e.g., tool to support

accommodation of FN treaty rights

Trial Application: Challenges

Legal authority to conduct mitigation measures off permitted areas.

Financial Agreements. Clarifying additionality. Lack of strategies and objectives. Ensuring mitigation measures stay in place. Definition of offset / ensuring links to intended

outcomes

Moving Forward

Focus on challenges Continued engagement with stakeholders and First

Nations Training and extension Strategic approaches Governance frameworks Partnerships