<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/feb/12/england-brings-in-biodiversity-net-gain-rules-to-force-builders-to-compensate-for-loss-of-nature>
"England is launching a biodiversity credit scheme this week that attempts to
force all new road and housebuilding projects to benefit nature, rather than
damage it.
The “nature market”, called biodiversity net gain (BNG), means all new building
projects must achieve a 10% net gain in biodiversity or habitat. If a woodland
is destroyed by a road, for example, another needs to be recreated. This can
happen either on site or elsewhere.
The requirement becomes law under the
Town and Country Planning Act on 12
February for larger sites, and on 2 April 2024 for smaller sites.
The scheme will make people think about how to minimise and mitigate the
ecosystem impact of new developments, said Natalie Duffus, a biology and
geographer researcher from the University of Oxford, who analysed the impact of
BNG trials on conservation. “In theory, it could restore lots of habitats,” she
added.
The government has a target of building 300,000 new homes a year by the
mid-2020s. Land affected by those developments must be compensated for under
the new rules.
Internationally, “it’s one of the most ambitious schemes we’ve seen”, said
Duffus. “Other places are watching us and seeing how it unfolds. If done well I
think it could inspire a lot of other markets to develop in different
countries.”
Those already hoping to copy the idea or use it to develop their own include
Sweden, Singapore, Scotland and Wales, she said."
Via
Fix the News:
<
https://fixthenews.com/good-news-human-rights-greece-education-burundi-reforestation-america/>
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
