BOOST for biodiversity offsets
There is unequivocal scientific consensus regarding the ongoing environmental crisis and strong global political ambition to halt biodiversity loss. Still, we are systematically failing at national-level implementation: globally, none of the Aichi biodiversity targets designed to stop biodiversity loss by 2020 were met. In BOOST – Biodiversity Offsetting as an Operational Tool for a Just Sustainability Transition Towards No Net Loss of Ecosystems and Biodiversity – we facilitate the mainstreaming and enabling of a just transition toward the adoption of biodiversity offsets in Finland and globally.
Biodiversity offsetting means compensating for biodiversity losses caused by ecologically harmful human activities by generating biodiversity gains elsewhere through concrete actions in nature. More specifically, our tasks include, developing a national offset register, biodiversity accounting, and a comprehensive, functional offsetting system.
The project’s three societal impact objectives:
- enhancing national and international understanding regarding ecological compensations;
- development of the ecological compensation system;
- mainstreaming of ecological compensation.
The overarching goal of the BOOST consortium is to facilitate a just sustainability transition towards no net loss (NNL) of ecosystems and biodiversity. BOOST will provide scientifically competent, economically feasible and socially acceptable means for adopting credible offset policies in Finland, covering design, implementation, accounting, monitoring, social justice and the legal framework.
The research project is funded by the Strategic Research Council.
Our impact objectives
News
Recording: EEAC 30th anniversary conference panel on biodiversity offsetting
Watch the recording from panel discussion (14.9.2022) about the role of biodiversity offsetting in sustainable use of natural resources.
Recording of JYU.Wisdom Lunch Colloquim & BOOST: Assessing the Biodiversity Footprints of Organizations
The panel discussed what is a biodiversity footprint and how it can be measured in organizations. Watch the recording from 12.10.2022.
No Net Loss City ends – BOOST continues the work
NNL City developed recommendations and a model for municipalities to introduce biodiversity offsetting into their land use and planning processes. Land use and planning plays a central role in halting the biodiversity loss – a significant part of natural values is lost permanently through small decisions at city or municipal level.
