Abstract
There is increasing recognition of the need for greater action to restore the marine environment in the face of a continued decline in marine biodiversity. Net gain has been identified as a potential approach to development which can contribute to halting and reversing biodiversity loss by leaving the natural environment in a measurably better state than before. Developments which adopt Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) aim to have positive impact by delivering an overall increase in biodiversity.
Currently, there is no formal requirement for Net Gain as part of marine development or Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects in the marine environment. However, it is understood that both are likely to become mandatory in the near future. Introducing a system of Net Gain in the marine environment is recognised as being particularly challenging owing to the dynamic nature of the marine environment and the complex interactions with marine development. It is therefore important that there are clear objectives and targets for Marine Net Gain (MNG) which provide a focus for developer action.
Defra’s Offshore Wind Enabling Actions (OWEAP) Programme is working to increase understanding of the environmental impacts of offshore wind and find strategic solutions to manage and mitigate impacts in order to reduce barriers to the expansion of offshore wind in English waters. One of the key areas being addressed under OWEAP is MNG.
In order to help inform the development of Defra policy in relation to MNG and its implementation, the Offshore Wind Evidence and Change Strategic Net Gain Task and Finish Group (T&F Group) was established to work closely with OWEAP to identify suitable targets for marine and intertidal Net Gain. The T&F Group comprised a range of organisations including Defra, Energy UK, Natural England, Renewable UK, RSPB, SUDG, The Crown Estate, The Wildlife Trusts and UK Major Ports Group, supported by an experienced consultancy, ABPmer. The Group aimed to identify a set of strategic targets for the delivery of MNG and, through consultation, achieve agreement for these targets from all sectors.
The T&F Group began by undertaking a gap analysis of existing legal and policy objectives and targets, to inform and support discussion around possible priorities for MNG. Following this, two on-line stakeholder surveys were conducted to gather views from marine stakeholders about MNG opportunities and priorities. The findings from these surveys informed the suggested recommendations for MNG priorities.
In addition, to ensure that the T&F Group was operating with a common understanding the Group defined a set of assumptions that would guide the work discussions. The assumptions outlined were central to the Group’s determination of targets whilst also informing their application and deliverability by industry to meet potential future MNG obligations. The development of these assumptions was supported by the information gathered through the stakeholder surveys. It is also important to stress that all discussions of the T&F Group on MNG were based on the foundation that the mitigation hierarchy will still apply to development.
The outcome of the work carried out by the T&F Group is a robust set of suggested strategic targets for MNG, which have strong consensus and agreement from all sectors; industry, regulators and conservation bodies. The targets set a clear direction for how developments could contribute towards MNG to restore and improve the marine environment, linked to national strategic priorities. On a national and regional level, the T&F Group considers that MNG should be a strategically managed process led by the government to which funding and delivery of projects is contributed to by industry.
Importantly, MNG should not just encompass habitat restoration but also include species restoration and human activity pressure reduction, as important measures to support restoration and enhancement of the marine environment.
As such the recommendations from the T&F Group, to support further discussions on MNG, and assist Defra in its development of MNG policy, are:
- The identified strategic target areas should be used by government to inform the development of MNG policy and principles of implementation;
- Strategic targets should be based on our understanding of where we are already failing intertidal and marine environments, and the need to halt and reverse marine biodiversity loss;
- MNG should as a minimum achieve BNG;
- The primary goal of intertidal and marine BNG at a national scale should be to place marine and intertidal ecosystems into recovery;
- Multi-purpose projects providing secondary benefits that contribute to the following targets should also be prioritised, but these benefits should be delivered in addition to the primary goal of achieving ecosystem recovery: to reduce disaster risk from the continuing loss of natural coastal defences such as salt marsh (e.g. flood risk/ coastal erosion); and to combat climate change, through mitigation and adaptation;
- The T&F Group recognises the urgency in halting and reversing marine biodiversity loss, particularly in the context of accelerating pressure from climate change and the likelihood of the need to relate to planning decisions. Overall targets for MNG should be presented without reference to specific timescales as the requirement for MNG interventions will depend on the nature and pace of relevant development projects and their impacts. Where specific MNG interventions are progressed, there should be clear objectives, linked to measures of success for these interventions supported by effective monitoring;
- MNG should be secured ‘in perpetuity’, but this is dependent on the type of intervention, the mechanism for delivery and the custodianship of responsibility and may be subject to natural change. The aim should be to contribute to an overall recovery;
- MNG policy must be developed in the context of the dynamic nature of the marine and intertidal environments. MNG projects must be considered with an understanding of the complexities of marine systems, and that pre-existing causes of loss may need to be addressed if the outcomes of MNG activities are to be successful and sustained;
- There is some potential that research and data gathering could be considered as MNG (for example, a research project to support better MNG delivery in the future), but only if it is delivered as part of a broader strategic approach as part of a package of measures;
- MNG will have a greater impact on the recovery of the marine environment if funding is pooled into a national fund to assist in the delivery of the strategic Net Gain targets. There is also a need to involve industry as a partner throughout the Net Gain process to ensure positive outcomes can be credited to developers, allowing them to build funding this into their business models;
- Delivery of MNG could be assisted by Regional Delivery Groups, distributing pooled funds and operating under a clear set of agreed principles. Delivery groups should be represented by a range of organisations with marine expertise including government, SNCBs, industry and eNGOs; and
- Development of MNG policy should appropriately consider the question of custodianship of responsibility to deliver Net Gain.