2.2 What Are Biodiversity Offsets? 4 2.3 When Are Biodiversity Offsets Considered? 5 2.4 Structure of the Guideline 7
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Edition 1 Issued by: Provincial Government of the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Utilitas Building, 1 Dorp Street Private Bag X9086 Cape Town 8000 South Africa Departmental Project Manager: Gerhard Gerber ([email protected]) Prepared by: Martin de Wit De Wit Sustainable Options (Pty) Ltd PO Box 546 Brackenfell 7561 South Africa Frauke Münster ERM Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd Terence Jayiya Jaymat Enviro Solutions CC Co-ordinated by: De Wit Sustainable Options (Pty) Ltd Contact person: Gerhard Gerber ([email protected]) COPYRIGHT © Republic of South Africa, Provincial Government of the Western Cape, Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning 2006. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This document is copyright under the Berne Convention. Apart from the purpose of private study, research or teaching, in terms of the Copyright Act (Act No. 98 of 1978) no part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning. Likewise, it may not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published. This guideline should be cited as: Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning. 2006. Provincial Guideline on Biodiversity Offsets. Republic of South Africa, Provincial Government of the Western Cape, Department of Environmental Affairs & Development Planning, Cape Town. P R O V I N C I A L G U I D E L I N E O N B I O D I V E R S I T Y O F F S E T S M A Y 2 0 0 6 Acknowledgements Steering committee: Name Organisation Chris Martens CapeNature Doug Jeffrey Doug Jeffrey Consultants Gerhard Gerber Department Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Mare-Liez Oosthuizen Department Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Mark Botha Botanical Society Paul Hardcastle Department Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Susie Brownlie de Villiers Brownlie Associates Tania de Waal Department Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Verna Bowie CapeNature Stakeholders engaged in the guideline development process: These guidelines were developed through a consultative process and have benefited from the inputs and comments provided by a wide range of individuals and organizations. Twenty-eight people attended the public workshop (sorted by name): Name Organisation Alan Cluett Holcim South Africa Christo Marais Working for Water Don Kirkwood CapeNature Doug Jeffery Doug Jeffery Environmental Consultants Erwin Obermeyer National Treasury Frauke Münster (facilitator) ERM Southern Africa Gerhard Gerber Department Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Graham Main De Beers Hendrik van der Hoven Hendrik van der Hoven Janse Rabie Nicholas Smith & Associates Jeff Manuel Botanical Society of South Africa Kate Snaddon Freshwater Consulting Group Lisa van Aarde Planning Partners Liz Day Freshwater Consulting Group Mare-Liez Oosthuizen Department Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Mark Botha Botanical Society of South Africa Martin de Wit (facilitator) De Wit Sustainable Options Nick Helme Nick Helme Botanical Surveys Paul Hardcastle Department Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Ronelle Clarke City of Cape Town Rowena Smuts Conservation International Sam Ralston Wildlife & Environment Society SA Sharlin Hemraj National Treasury Susie Brownlie De Villiers Brownlie Associates Tania de Waal Department Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Terence Jayiya (facilitator) JAYMAT Enviro Solutions Verna Bowie CapeNature Wendy Engel CapeNature E D I T I O N 1 p a g e i P R O V I N C I A L G U I D E L I N E O N B I O D I V E R S I T Y O F F S E T S M A Y 2 0 0 6 In addition, thirty-two people completed expert opinion surveys (sorted by name): Name Organisation Alan Cluett Environmental Consultant Andrew Blackmore Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Anneke de Kok Anneke de Kock Environmental Consultants Anton Wolfaardt CapeNature Brent Corcoran Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Project D. Kirkwood CapeNature Danie Swanepoel Department Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Dian Grant Grant Johnston Associates J H Briers Dept Minerals and Energy John Dini Working for Wetlands (SANBI) Julie Carlisle Nature’s Valley Trust Kate Snaddon The Freshwater Consulting Group Louis de Villiers Louis de Villiers atterney, WESA Lozelle du Plessis Dept. of Agriculture Lynette Munro Environmental Evaluation Unit UCT M Sasman Ecosense CC Mark Aken Anglo Coal Mark Botha Botanical Society of SA Mark Rynhoud Geological & Environmental Services Mellisa Naiker Department Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Michael Mangnall Ninham Shand Nick Helm Nick Helm Botanical Surveys Nitasha Bijanth-Pillay Department Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Patricia M Holmes City of Cape Town Peter Croal CIDA Philip Desmont Conservation consultant Russel Wise CSIR Samantha Ralston WESSA Stephen Davey Amathemba Environmental consulting Susie Brownlie deVilliers Brownlie Associates Verna Bowie CapeNature Willem de Lange Western Cape Department of Agriculture Yvette van Wijk Garden Route Botanical Garden Trust E D I T I O N 1 p a g e ii P R O V I N C I A L G U I D E L I N E O N B I O D I V E R S I T Y O F F S E T S M A Y 2 0 0 6 Executive Summary TO BE INSERTED IN FINAL DOCUMENT E D I T I O N 1 p a g e iii P R O V I N C I A L G U I D E L I N E O N B I O D I V E R S I T Y O F F S E T S M A Y 2 0 0 6 Contents Acknowledgements ___________________________________________________________________________i Contents___________________________________________________________________________________iv Executive Summary __________________________________________________________________________iii Figures ____________________________________________________________________________________ v 1. BACKGROUND 1 2. INTRODUCTION 3 2.1 Biodiversity offsets in the Western Cape 3 2.2 What are biodiversity offsets? 4 2.3 When are biodiversity offsets considered? 5 2.4 Structure of the guideline 7 3. OFFSETS IN THE EIA PROCESS 8 3.1 General procedures 8 3.2 Pre-application planning and screening 8 3.3 Basic Assessment 9 3.4 Scoping 9 3.5 Impact assessment 9 3.5.1 Biodiversity impact specialist study 9 3.5.2 Draft EIR/EMP 10 3.5.3 Offset-design process 10 3.5.4 Final EIR/EMP 12 3.6 Decision by Authority 12 3.7 Monitor and Audit 12 4. OFFSET DESIGN PROCESS 13 4.1 Adequacy of the offset 14 4.2 Types of compensation 15 4.3 Offset design 16 4.4 Offset agreements 19 4.5 Offset management plan 19 5. LAWS, POLICIES, PLANS AND GUIDELINES TO BE CONSIDERED 20 5.1 Policies, plans and guidelines directing biodiversity offsets 20 5.2 Laws, policies, plans and guidelines influencing biodiversity offsets 22 6. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 25 6.1 General roles in a biodiversity offset system 25 6.2 Specific responsibilities in planning, project development and impact assessment 26 7. CONCLUSIONS 30 8. BIBLIOGRAPHY 30 E D I T I O N 1 p a g e iv P R O V I N C I A L G U I D E L I N E O N B I O D I V E R S I T Y O F F S E T S M A Y 2 0 0 6 Cover photographs: Karin Burns, Leon van der Merwe Figures Figure 1: When to consider biodiversity offsets in the hierarchy of impact mitigation measures..................... 5 Figure 2: Biodiversity Impact Assessment and the Offset Design Process.................................................... 11 Figure 3: Biodiversity Offset Design Process................................................................................................. 13 Figure 4: Roles in a Biodiversity Offset System ............................................................................................. 25 Tables Table I: Ratios for biodiversity offsets............................................................................................................. 14 Table II: Selected examples of biodiversity offsets in South Africa.................................................................. 17 Table III: Policies, plans and guidelines directing biodiversity offsets............................................................... 21 Table IV: Selected laws, policies, plans and guidelines influencing biodiversity offsets ................................... 22 Table V: Responsibilities in planning, project development and impact assessment....................................... 27 E D I T I O N 1 p a g e v P R O V I N C I A L G U I D E L I N E O N B I O D I V E R S I T Y O F F S E T S M A Y 2 0 0 6 1. BACKGROUND One of the general objectives of Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process is to identify, predict and evaluate the actual and potential impacts of proposed developments on the biophysical environment, on socio-economic conditions and on cultural heritage. Additionally, options for preventing and mitigating negative impacts and alternatives are evaluated with a view to prevent and minimise negative impacts and to maximise benefits. In order to ensure that development delivers socio-economic benefits without threatening the viability of the systems upon which these services depends, the disturbance of ecosystems and loss of biological diversity must be avoided, or where they cannot be avoided, be minimised and remedied. In certain instances the need however exists to explore mechanisms to offset or compensate for unavoidable, residual