01 Aug 2023

The government has published indicative guide prices and information on calculating costs for developers buying statutory credits. They start at £42,000 per credit for a low distinctiveness habitat, up to £650,000 for high distinctiveness habitats (lakes). Defra notes that buying statutory biodiversity credits is a last resort option for developers unable to use on-site or off-site units […]

31 May 2023

The first corporate science-based targets for nature are here! The Science Based Targets Network – a global coalition of 80+ environmental non-profits and mission-driven organizations – has released the first corporate science-based targets for nature. These much-needed targets on nature build on and complement existing climate targets, which have been set by over 2,600 companies […]

30 May 2023

An article in The Guardian reports on a call by researchers for a fund for nature loss in the same way as for climate impacts. Researchers state: “Global biodiversity loss has been disproportionately driven by consumption of people in rich nations. The concept of ‘loss and damage’ – familiar from international agreements on climate breakdown […]

18 May 2023

Defra has set out guidance on how developers can use habitat creation or enhancements to count towards their biodiversity net hain (BNG). If you’re creating or enhancing habitat as part of your development, you may be able to count this towards your BNG. You can still do this if the habitat required for your development is […]

03 May 2023

The UK’s approach to international action on nature and climate to 2030 has been published through a Strategic Framework. The framework outlines the UK’s actions to address six global challenges on international environmental action. The Integrated Review (IR) Refresh makes clear that “the UK’s first thematic priority remains tackling climate change, environmental damage and biodiversity loss, given the […]

26 Apr 2023

Eco-friendly gardeners should be given a cut in their council tax, scientists have recommended, as research shows cities may have lost as much as 50% of their green garden space over the past two decades. Paving over gardens and using plastic grass has become a trend in recent years, which contributes to flooding, rising urban […]

08 Mar 2023

The government has published its response to last January’s consultation on biodiversity net gain (BNG) this month. The consultation response confirms that developers will be required to deliver 10% BNG on most sites from November, with requirement for small sites introduced from April 2024. The government also announced £16 million funding for Local Planning Authorities […]

06 Dec 2022

The new UNEP State of Finance for Nature report calls for investment in nature-based solutions to more than double if we are to achieve our climate, biodiversity, and land degradation goals. Important reading ahead of COP15 (running from 7-19 Dec in Canada), the report outlines the need to both phase-out nature-negative finance flows and dramatically increase private […]