Defending the Mitigation Hierarchy in the Nature Positive Era

What it means to be nature-positive and how to achieve it has become a hot topic. Nearly 100 world leaders have already signed the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, which calls for a nature-positive future by 2030, and 11 of the top 100 global companies have already expressed aspirations to contribute to a positive impact on nature.

We are at an appropriate time to work for the recovery of nature on a large scale, if it is done correctly.

This growing interest in nature is accompanied by an increase in the momentum to develop biodiversity credits as a way to direct private sector investments towards effective conservation and restoration outcomes. However, given that many efforts to achieve no net loss of biodiversity by applying the mitigation hierarchy during the design and implementation of development projects fail, is it reasonable to expect that a high level of ambition will translate into success? Or will being nature-positive simply translate into more greenwashing?

To explore these opportunities and challenges, Rewilding Europe convenes two events organized by the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management Commission’s Impact Mitigation and Ecological Compensation Thematic Group.

Specifically, a joint webinar with the International Association for Impact Assessment will take place on 18 January, which will analyse the key role of the mitigation hierarchy in the ‘nature-positive’ era, based on this recent article (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-023-02199-2) by Martine Maron, Sophus zu Ermgassen, Kerry ten Kate, Joe W Bull, Julia P G Jones, E.J. Milner-Gulland, Jo Treweek, Amrei Von Hase and Fabian Quétier. This webinar will be hosted by Jo Treweek and Megan Evans will share her views on the Nature Reparation Act from Australia.

Another webinar will take place on 24 January, exploring the ideas of a white paper produced by experts and practitioners from the business and conservation sector. The report outlines principles, definitions and recommended actions that can be used in decision-making by businesses, financial institutions and civil society in the development of specific guidelines, policies or plans to contribute to a global goal for nature and the 2030 mission of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Speakers include Stacey Baggaley, Mark Johnston, Warwick Mostert, Leo Murphy and Hollie Booth.  

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