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Development by Design in Western Australia: Overcoming Offset Obstacles

Author

Listed:
  • James Fitzsimons

    (The Nature Conservancy, Suite 2-01, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton, VIC 3053, Australia)

  • Michael Heiner

    (The Nature Conservancy, 117 East Mountain Avenue Suite 201, Fort Collins, CO 80524, USA)

  • Bruce McKenney

    (The Nature Conservancy, 490 Westfield Road, Charlottesville, VA 22901, USA)

  • Kei Sochi

    (The Nature Conservancy, 2424 Spruce Street, Boulder, CO 80302, USA)

  • Joseph Kiesecker

    (The Nature Conservancy, 117 East Mountain Avenue Suite 201, Fort Collins, CO 80524, USA)

Abstract

Biodiversity offsets can be an important tool for maintaining or enhancing environmental values in situations where development is sought despite negative environmental impacts. There are now approximately 45 compensatory mitigation programs for biodiversity impacts worldwide, with another 27 programs in development. While offsets have great potential as a conservation tool, their establishment requires overcoming a number of conceptual and methodological hurdles. In Australia, new policy changes at the national and state ( i.e. , Western Australia) level require that offsets follow a set of general principles: (1) Environmental offsets may not be appropriate for all projects and will only be considered after avoidance and mitigation options have been pursued; (2) Environmental offsets will be based on sound environmental information and knowledge; (3) Establishing goals for offsets requires an estimate of expected direct and indirect impacts; (4) Environmental offsets will be focused on longer term strategic outcomes; (5) Environmental offsets will be cost-effective, as well as relevant and proportionate to the significance of the environmental value being impacted. Here we focus on the challenges of determining and implementing offsets using a real world example from a voluntary offset process undertaken for Barrick Gold’s Kanowna Belle mine site in Western Australia to highlight those challenges and potential solutions.

Suggested Citation

  • James Fitzsimons & Michael Heiner & Bruce McKenney & Kei Sochi & Joseph Kiesecker, 2014. "Development by Design in Western Australia: Overcoming Offset Obstacles," Land, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-21, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:3:y:2014:i:1:p:167-187:d:33117
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Holly E Copeland & Kevin E Doherty & David E Naugle & Amy Pocewicz & Joseph M Kiesecker, 2009. "Mapping Oil and Gas Development Potential in the US Intermountain West and Estimating Impacts to Species," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 4(10), pages 1-7, October.
    2. C. R. Margules & R. L. Pressey, 2000. "Systematic conservation planning," Nature, Nature, vol. 405(6783), pages 243-253, May.
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