NO NET LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY: A FALSE SOLUTION

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 a set of exchangeable units. The document contends that NNL mechanisms, such as biodiversity offsets and credits, allow the current fossil-fuel-dependent development model to persist without requiring structural system change, while potentially leading to land grabbing and the infringement of Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' rights.

• No net loss (NNL) is described as an accounting mechanism rather than a guarantee of preservation; it allows for the destruction of biodiversity in one location on the condition that it is compensated for by protection or restoration elsewhere.
• Biodiversity offset mechanisms utilize financial tools called compensation credits, which are accounting units representing the price of a site's environmental functions and species. These credits are traded on financial markets and have created an industry that, in the United States, includes over 400 biodiversity banks and private companies.
• The document argues that NNL and compensation mechanisms are used to bypass traditional legislative transparency to extend legal limits on pollution and biodiversity destruction, thereby supporting a development model dependent on fossil fuels.
• The use of biodiversity offsets presents significant risks, including 'land grabbing' and the violation of the rights of local communities and Indigenous Peoples, as these mechanisms require vast amounts of land that may not be available.
• While the mitigation hierarchy—consisting of avoiding, minimising, remediating on site, and offsetting off site—is intended to prioritise avoidance, the document claims that compensation is becoming an increasingly used mechanism due to market pressures.

APA

Collins, A. (n.d.). NO NET LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY: A FALSE SOLUTION. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/No-net-loss-of-biodiversity_Friends-of-the-Earth-International.pdf

Chicago

Collins, Amelia. NO NET LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY: A FALSE SOLUTION. Friends of the Earth International, n.d. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/No-net-loss-of-biodiversity_Friends-of-the-Earth-International.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Collins |first1=Amelia |title=NO NET LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY: A FALSE SOLUTION |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/No-net-loss-of-biodiversity_Friends-of-the-Earth-International.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{collinsndnet, author = {Collins, Amelia}, title = {{NO NET LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY: A FALSE SOLUTION}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/No-net-loss-of-biodiversity_Friends-of-the-Earth-International.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }