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Conceptualising project environmental impact assessment for enhancement: no net loss, net gain, offsetting and nature positive.

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Title: Conceptualising project environmental impact assessment for enhancement: no net loss, net gain, offsetting and nature positive.
Authors: Morrison-Saunders, Angus1,2 (AUTHOR) a.morrison-saunders@ecu.edu.au, Sánchez, Luis3 (AUTHOR)
Source: Australasian Journal of Environmental Management. Dec2024, Vol. 31 Issue 4, p386-403. 18p.
Subject Terms: *Biodiversity, Net losses, Reflexivity, Environmental impact analysis
Abstract: With declining biodiversity worldwide, the need for development proposals to deliver positive, not negative, environmental outcomes is clear. Arguably, this is a long-standing goal of environmental impact assessment (EIA). This article explores the extent to which current project EIA practice can achieve enhancement, no net loss or a net gain of biodiversity and Nature Positive goals. Using reflexivity, a conceptual approach is applied to policies and examples from practice. The environmental enhancement goal of EIA is explained. The mitigation hierarchy is applied to a hypothetical mining example for accomplishing no net loss/net gain of biodiversity through offsets. Nature Positive is examined in relation to current EIA expectations and how it differs from the other positive outcomes concepts. To overcome the 'controlled loss' paradigm that typifies EIA practice, a major mindset change is needed. Recommendations include: (i) placing 'enhance' on top of the mitigation hierarchy; (ii) ensuring policies uphold 'true offsets' with provision to 'say no' to development for high biodiversity areas and performance outcomes accountability and (iii) developing legislative provisions for Nature Positive and how project EIA should address it. Practitioners are urged to 'step up' in their personal endeavours to advocate for such changes to deliver positive outcomes from EIA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Australasian Journal of Environmental Management is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: Conceptualising project environmental impact assessment for enhancement: no net loss, net gain, offsetting and nature positive.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Morrison-Saunders%2C+Angus%22">Morrison-Saunders, Angus</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> a.morrison-saunders@ecu.edu.au</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sánchez%2C+Luis%22">Sánchez, Luis</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Australasian+Journal+of+Environmental+Management%22">Australasian Journal of Environmental Management</searchLink>. Dec2024, Vol. 31 Issue 4, p386-403. 18p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biodiversity%22">Biodiversity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Net+losses%22">Net losses</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reflexivity%22">Reflexivity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Environmental+impact+analysis%22">Environmental impact analysis</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: With declining biodiversity worldwide, the need for development proposals to deliver positive, not negative, environmental outcomes is clear. Arguably, this is a long-standing goal of environmental impact assessment (EIA). This article explores the extent to which current project EIA practice can achieve enhancement, no net loss or a net gain of biodiversity and Nature Positive goals. Using reflexivity, a conceptual approach is applied to policies and examples from practice. The environmental enhancement goal of EIA is explained. The mitigation hierarchy is applied to a hypothetical mining example for accomplishing no net loss/net gain of biodiversity through offsets. Nature Positive is examined in relation to current EIA expectations and how it differs from the other positive outcomes concepts. To overcome the 'controlled loss' paradigm that typifies EIA practice, a major mindset change is needed. Recommendations include: (i) placing 'enhance' on top of the mitigation hierarchy; (ii) ensuring policies uphold 'true offsets' with provision to 'say no' to development for high biodiversity areas and performance outcomes accountability and (iii) developing legislative provisions for Nature Positive and how project EIA should address it. Practitioners are urged to 'step up' in their personal endeavours to advocate for such changes to deliver positive outcomes from EIA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Australasian Journal of Environmental Management is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/14486563.2024.2400899
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 18
        StartPage: 386
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Biodiversity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Net losses
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reflexivity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Environmental impact analysis
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Conceptualising project environmental impact assessment for enhancement: no net loss, net gain, offsetting and nature positive.
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            – D: 01
              M: 12
              Text: Dec2024
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              Y: 2024
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