LA NO PÉRDIDA NETA DE BIODIVERSIDAD: UNA FALSA SOLUCIÓN

This briefing by Friends of the Earth International argues that 'No Net Loss' (NNL) of biodiversity is a false solution that facilitates the continued destruction of nature by treating biodiversity as interchangeable units through offsetting mechanisms.

• No Net Loss (NNL) is a goal achieved through biodiversity offsetting mechanisms, which are measurable results from actions designed to compensate for significant adverse impacts on biodiversity that remain after prevention and mitigation measures have been applied. The document asserts that NNL does not mean there is no loss; rather, it uses a form of accounting where destruction in one location is offset by protection or restoration elsewhere, meaning "NPN sin destrucción y pérdida de biodiversidad, no puede existir".
• Biodiversity offsetting often relies on 'avoided loss,' where protecting an existing habitat from potential destruction is calculated as a gain compared to a theoretical scenario of what would have happened without that protection. These calculations are based on data regarding species and vegetation, but the document notes these theoretical scenarios "no podrán nunca comprobarse".
• Compensation credits are financial tools used to acquire offset sites. These mechanisms originated in the United States in the 1970s to allow the drainage of legally protected wetlands. Today, a private industry manages these credits, with over 400 biodiversity banks and private companies operating in the US. The document claims these credits allow entities to "destruir la biodiversidad o ir más allá de los límites legales en contaminación" as long as compensation is proven.
• The mitigation hierarchy is a sequenced process intended to prioritize environmental protection: 1) avoid, 2) minimize, 3) remedy in situ, and 4) biodiversity offsetting as a final step for residual impacts. While the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recommends this sequence, the document argues that offsetting is increasingly used in practice and is driven by a market valued annually between 2.4 and 4 trillion dollars, with a potential value of 45 trillion dollars.
• Biodiversity offsetting presents several risks, including land grabbing, as companies must acquire vast amounts of land for compensation. In some regions, there is insufficient land available to balance future biodiversity losses. Furthermore, these mechanisms can create obstacles to land use and negatively affect the rights of local communities or Indigenous Peoples.
• The document criticizes the fundamental logic of offsetting, arguing that biodiversity is not a sum of interchangeable units but involves complex relationships, culture, and spirituality. It claims that NNL provides a "green image" for a development model dependent on fossil fuels and nature destruction without requiring structural changes, and warns that it leads to the economic valuation of biodiversity, as seen with carbon markets and forest restoration credits in Brazil and the European Union.

APA

Collins, A. (n.d.). LA NO PÉRDIDA NETA DE BIODIVERSIDAD: UNA FALSA SOLUCIÓN. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/La-no-perdida-neta-de-biodiversidad_Amigos-de-la-tierra-internacional.pdf

Chicago

Collins, Amelia. LA NO PÉRDIDA NETA DE BIODIVERSIDAD: UNA FALSA SOLUCIÓN. Friends of the Earth International, n.d. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/La-no-perdida-neta-de-biodiversidad_Amigos-de-la-tierra-internacional.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Collins |first1=Amelia |title=LA NO PÉRDIDA NETA DE BIODIVERSIDAD: UNA FALSA SOLUCIÓN |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/La-no-perdida-neta-de-biodiversidad_Amigos-de-la-tierra-internacional.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{collinsndprdida, author = {Collins, Amelia}, title = {{LA NO PÉRDIDA NETA DE BIODIVERSIDAD: UNA FALSA SOLUCIÓN}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/La-no-perdida-neta-de-biodiversidad_Amigos-de-la-tierra-internacional.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }