Biodiversity

Problem statement

According to the WWF’s Living Planet Report published in 2018, there has been a 60% decline in the size of populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians in just over 40 years, with some species facing extinction. Development and industrial sites can be common causes for a decline in biodiversity, however, biodiversity net gain approaches can reverse this.

 

Key stakeholders

• Site owners
• Contractors
• Consultants
• Regulators

 

Knowledge base

• IPBES - Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
• European Union - Biodiversity strategy for 2030
• EFRAG ESRS E4 Biodiversity and Ecosystems
• OECD – A Comprehensive Overview of Global Biodiversity Finance.
• UK Parliament - Biodiversity in the UK: bloom or bust?

 

Challenges

• Restoring biodiversity in soils
• Quantifying biodiversity of Brownfield sites
• Impacts of remediation systems on biodiversity
• Assessing ecological risks to biodiversity from contaminants
• Implementing Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (2022/2464)

 

Member priorities

• Reversing Biodiversity loss
• Restoring the biodiversity of degraded land
• Natural capital assessment
• Land stewardship

 

Working Partnerships

• Linking Site owners and NGO
• Linking site owners and innovators (universities, start-ups, small companies)
• Promote partnerships between NICOLE members and innovators

 

Research and innovation stage