705: Biodiversity Offsetting Challenges and Opportunities in a Changing World

October 12, 2018

2:00pm - 3:00pm

Climate change, biodiversity losses and a host of related issues are creating a complex and challenging future for planners dealing with green infrastructure and community resiliency. Biodiversity offsetting and compensation are increasingly relied upon to ballance natural heritage protection and economic development, however this technique is controversial. This session will examine whether biodiversity offsetting remains an appropriate natural heritage planning tool in the context of today's environmental challenges. Discussion topics will include effective policy development, new techniques, lessons learned, checks and balances, and, Indigenous community interests and perspectives. 
 
Learning Objectives:

• Gain knowledge of biodiversity offsetting as a natural heritage planning tool and how it has developed overtime. 
• Understand the effective use of offsetting and, most importantly, when it is an appropriate tool
• Understand the Indigenous experience with biodiversity offsetting
• Gain knowledge about how to critically evaluate offsetting as a tool to address the environmental challenges posed by climate change and biodiversity losses

Speakers