Biodiversity credits or certificates: integrity criteria and the case of offsetting

09/10/2025

16:00 - 17:30

CR A-B: Forum - Session Room 4 , Hybride (sur site avec diffusion en direct)

Forum

Innovation disruptive et leadership pour la conservation Transition vers des économies et des sociétés positives pour la nature

Pourquoi participer

The rapid development of biodiversity credits creates both enthusiasm and concern. Some see a promising tool to raise funds for nature, others see risks of greenwashing. We will debate the conditions for the integrity of biodiversity credits, and whether these can be met in the case of offsetting.

Description de la séance

Since Biodiversity Credits were mentioned in the GBF as a possible tool to raise funds for nature, the issue of their integrity generated debates. While several states already operate compensation mechanisms, the possible integration of offsetting into biodiversity credits raise also controversy. The IAPB published ‘integrity principles’ recognizing offsetting as a possible use case ‘under strict conditions. The MNHN, with the support of the IUCN French Committee, proposed a motion that sets out integrity principles, where offsetting is ‘ruled out’ in favour of a ‘nature positive contribution’ approach that could generates “biodiversity certificates”.

The session will discuss biodiversity credits integrity criteria, with a special focus on offsetting, and present biodiversity certificates. The facilitator will set the stage, then ask the panellists to present the state of the art in research on the integrity of biodiversity credits / certificates where divergent points of view will be inspected and debated.

Organised by

Comité national de l'UICN, France

Partenaires

Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle ( France )

Association Française du Fonds Mondial pour la Nature - France ( France )

Conservation International ( United States of America )