Landholder participation in biodiversity offsetting

The objective of this research project, funded by the NSW Environmental Trust, was to shed light on landholders’ experiences with, and perspectives on the New South Wales Biodiversity Offsets Scheme, with focus on Greater Metropolitan Sydney, where demand for offsets is the highest.

Biodiversity offsets are generally considered as aligning with developers’ business interests and world-views. Offsets schemes provide developers with a more predictable environment in which to operate. Little is known, however, about landholders’ perspectives on biodiversity offsets, in NSW, or elsewhere in the world. This knowledge gap matters because landholders – as actual or potential credit suppliers – play a critical role in offsetting. Eliciting their perspectives on biodiversity offsets, and the degree to which these perspectives align with offset policy objectives, can help to ensure a scheme meets the needs and expectations of sellers.

ISF researchers tackled this issue by asking two questions:

Can landholders participate in biodiversity offsetting? This question speaks to landholders’ ability to participate in the scheme.
Do they want to? This question speaks to their interest in, and willingness to participate in the scheme.

The Greater Metropolitan Sydney area offered a relevant case study, as it is exhibiting increasing demand for offsets in the face of development. This means that understanding perspectives of current and potential suppliers of offsets will become increasingly important for the success of the Scheme in terms of its delivery of policy outcomes.

RESEARCH OUTPUTS

Distributive and contextual equity in biodiversity offsetting. A case study of landholder access to biodiversity offsets in New South Wales (2021) (Journal Paper)

Landholder engagement with biodiversity offsets in Greater Metropolitan Sydney (2021) (Report Summary)

MEDIA

We asked landholders how they feel about biodiversity offsets — and the NSW government has a lot to learn - The Conversation, August 2021