BSI Group (BSI), in its role as the UK National Standards Body, has published a new set of requirements for the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in development projects, including individual house-builds, large-scale developments and estate management.
The loss of biodiversity as a result of human activity is having increasingly severe impacts. As a result, governments, businesses and organizations of all types are acting, not only to protect biodiversity, but to ensure it thrives.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)
BNG is an approach to development and land management that leaves biodiversity in a measurably better state than before
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is an approach to development and land management that leaves biodiversity in a measurably better state than before.
The new British Standard, named - BS 8683: Process for designing and implementing biodiversity net gain – Specification, builds on and adds to the UK’s Good Practice Principles of BNG2. It translates these principles and actions into a specification standard, providing a consistent and structured process for designing and implementing BNG based on good practice.
New British Standard published
David Fatscher, the Head of Environment, Social and Governance Standards at BSI Group, said “BNG has an important role to play in protecting, restoring, recovering nature and supporting thriving ecosystems.”
David Fatscher adds, “To achieve BNG, a project needs to follow the mitigation hierarchy and be able to demonstrate that it has followed the UK’s Good Practice Principles of BNG, in order to leave the biodiversity of the affected area in a measurably better state than before. We are proud to publish the new British Standard, which supplements the principles with practical guidance.”
The standard has been developed by a committee that is made-up of experts in the fields of sustainable development, construction, local government and land and water management.