Biodiversity Offset Program Design and Implementation

Biodiversity offsets are applied in many countries to compensate for impacts on the environment, but research on regulatory frameworks and implementation enabling effective offsets is lacking. This paper reviews research on biodiversity offsets, providing a framework for the analysis of program design (no net loss goal, uncertainty and ratios, equivalence and accounting, site selection, landscape-scale mitigation planning, timing) and implementation (compliance, adherence to the mitigation hierarchy, leakage and trade-offs, oversight, transparency and monitoring). Some more challenging aspects concern the proper metrics and accounting allowing for program evaluation, as well as the consideration of trade-offs when regulations focus only on the biodiversity aspect of ecosystems. Results can be used to assess offsets anywhere and support the creation of programs that balance development and conservation.TU Berlin, Open-Access-Mittel – 201

Access to information and the role of environmental assessment registries for public participation

International practice shows an increasing use of web-based Environmental Assessment (EA) registries or project websites to provide public access to information. In support of statutory public participation, registries inform when to participate and provide relevant documents and the continued availability of information. However, what constitutes good practice in this field? This article proposes a framework for assessing good practice in providing access to information via registries. Based on performance indicators for an ‘ideal’ registry, the framework allows evaluation in the review categories: framework conditions, notice of projects, provision of documents, accessibility of information and ongoing information regarding the status of the environmental assessment. An explorative case study analysis applies the framework and presents results on the performance of international practice examples

Good Governance: A Framework for Implementing Sustainable Land Management, Applied to an Agricultural Case in Northeast-Brazil

Land management needs to cope with persistent environmental and societal changes. This requires functional governance systems. The purpose of this research is to develop a good governance framework for the implementation of sustainable land management. Good governance theory is extensive, although its operationalization remains difficult. We derived a set of good governance attributes from the literature: (i) the functionality of the regulatory framework, (ii) the legitimacy and accountability of the actors, (iii) the fairness and transparency of the decision-making processes, and (iv) quality control and adaptiveness. These constitute a framework which, supported by guiding questions, facilitates the evaluation of governance attributes to assess sustainable land management practices. We applied the scheme to a case study in Northeast Brazil regarding sustainable land management where biological pest control is considered to be a biodiversity-related ecosystem service. Since its adoption often falls short of expectations, we scrutinized its governance system. First, experts answered our guiding questions, and second, we involved local stakeholders in the discussion of good governance attributes through the participatory approach of constellation analysis. Trust in agricultural consultants and issues of the practical application of pest control turned out to be crucial. The workshop participants requested a model farm to build more trust and experience. There was considerable demand for policy at the national planning level to formulate and monitor the content of the agricultural advisory program. Our conceptualized framework of good governance questions provides systematization for planning and steering the implementation of sustainable land management practices.BMBF, 01LL0904A, Verbundvorhaben INNOVATE: Nachhaltige Nutzung von Stauseen durch innovative Kopplung von aquatischen und terrestrischen Ökosystemfunktionen - Teilvorhaben 1: Verbundkoordination, Grüne Leber und ÖkonomieBMBF, 01LL0904E, Verbundvorhaben INNOVATE: Nachhaltige Nutzung von Stauseen durch innovative Kopplung von aquatischen und terrestrischen Ökosystemfunktionen - Teilvorhaben 5: BiodiversitätDFG, 414044773, Open Access Publizieren 2019 - 2020 / Technische Universität Berli

The grass is always greener on the other side: : the access to environmental assessment documents in Germany in international comparison

Erfolgreiche Öffentlichkeitsbeteiligung braucht Information. Dennoch wird der Aspekt der adäquaten Informationsbereitstellung im Kontext der Umweltprüfungen in Deutschland noch wenig diskutiert. Aus demokratietheoretischer Sicht geht es dabei nicht nur um die Verfügbarkeit und leichte Auffindbarkeit von Dokumenten, Informationen und Verfahrensunterlagen. Auch Aspekte wie eine angemessene Bekanntgabe des Projekts oder Plans, hinreichende Zeit zur Vorbereitung und Teilnahme für Dritte sowie die Allgemeinverständlichkeit und Lesbarkeit der Dokumente gelten dabei als weitere Schlüsselpunkte. Motiviert durch einen idealtypischen Zugang zu Dokumenten und Informationen der Umweltprüfung erfolgen zum einen Hinweise auf internationale „Good practice“- Beispiele, zum anderen wird die betreffende Situation in Deutschland charakterisiert. Sicherlich ist der Weg zu komfortablen UVP/SUP-Auskunfts- und Dokumentationssystemen auch international noch nicht konsequent und weit genug fortgeschritten. Der Beitrag zeigt jedoch, dass es durchaus besser geht – und aus demokratischen Gründen gehen muss –, als es die aktuelle Situation in Deutschland ermöglicht.Successful public participation requires information. Nonetheless, the issue of adequate provision of information in the context of environmental impact assessments (EIA) and strategic environmental assessments (SEA) is discussed very little in Germany. From a democratic theory perspective, it is not just about the availability and accessibility of documents, information and procedural documentations. Also aspects like fair notice, time to prepare and the readability of documents play an important role. Motivated by a blueprint of the ideal access to EIA/SEA documents and process information, on the one hand examples on international “good practice” are provided while on the other hand the respective practice in Germany is discussed. Certainly, the international examples show that the way to a comfortable EIA/SEA documentation and information system is still progressing and not yet consistent. However, the paper shows that there are indeed better approaches – and, for democratic reasons, have to be – than the current practice in Germany provides

Nutrient recycling from sanitation and energy systems to the agroecosystem - Ecological research on case studies in Karagwe, Tanzania

Open cycles of organic carbon and nutrients cause soil degradation. Procedures such as ecological sanitation (EcoSan), bioenergy and Terra Preta practice (TPP) can contribute to closing nutrient cycles and may, in addition, sequester carbon. This paper introduces three projects in Karagwe, Tanzania, and their applied approach of integrated resource management to capture carbon and nutrients from different waste flows. Substrates derived from these case studies, biogas slurry, compost and CaSa-compost (containing biochar and sanitized human excreta), were assessed for their nutrient content by analysis of the total element composition. Evaluation focused on potential impacts of the tested amendments on the nutrient availability in the soil as well as on the local soil nutrient balance. Results revealed that all substrates show appropriate fertilizing potential compared to literature, especially for phosphorus (P). CaSa-compost was outstanding, with a total P concentration of 1.7 g dm-3 compared to 0.5 and 0.3 g dm-3 in compost and biogas slurry respectively. Furthermore, these soil amendments may reduce acidity of the soil, with a calculated liming effect of 3.4, 2.6 and 7.8 kg CaO for each kg of nitrogen added for biogas slurry, compost and CaSa-compost respectively. To offset negative P balances in Karagwe, about 8100, 6000 and 1600 dm3 ha-1 are required for biogas slurry, compost and CaSa-compost respectively. We conclude that especially CaSa-compost might offer immediate positive effects to crop production and nutrient availability in the soil

FFH-Verträglichkeitsprüfung

Die FFH-Verträglichkeitsprüfung ist Teil behördlicher Zulassungs- bzw. Planverfahren und prüft die Zulässigkeit von Plänen und Projekten, die Schutzgebiete des europäischen Netzes Natura 2000 in ihren für die Erhaltungsziele oder den Schutzzweck maßgeblichen Bestndteilen erheblich beeinträchtigen können

Eingriffsregelung

Seit der Einführung der Eingriffsregelung im Bundesnaturschutzgesetz (BNatSchG) 1976 sollen die konkreten Folgen von Eingriffen in Natur und Landschaft bewältigt werden. Die Eingriffsregelung soll dazu beitragen, die erheblichen Beeinträchtigungen von Natur und Landschaft zu vermeiden, zu vermindern oder, wenn dies nicht möglich ist, durch Ausgleichs- oder Ersatzmaßnahmen bzw. monetär zu kompensieren

Naturschutzaspekte beim Anbau von Biomasse

Der erwartete Anbau von Biomasse bereitet einigen Naturschützern Sorge. Die Schäden durch eine zu intensive Landwirtschaft sollen sich nicht wiederholen. Die Integration von Naturschutzzielen in die Produktion von Biomasse ist aber möglich

Urban climate and heat stress: how likely is the implementation of adaptation measures in mid-latitude cities? The case of façade greening analyzed with Bayesian networks

Urban heat is a challenge for mid-latitude cities possibly aggravated by global climate change making it necessary to adapt the urban fabric. Façade greening has been identified as an important measure to adjust the building stock and new buildings to adverse climatic impacts. Yet, little is known on factors that influence implementation probabilities for adaptation measures. Therefore, we tried to figure out the driving forces and barriers for implementation of façade greening applying the methodology of Bayesian networks. The article presents the Bayesian network as an analytical system to examine the probability for the implementation of adaptation measures by including expert opinions. The results show that experts in Berlin estimate the likelihood of an implementation of façade greening under current conditions at 2 %. The article also examines further supportive factors that exist to raise this comparatively low value. A scenario including financial incentives from a backyard greening program raises the chances to 14 %. However, BN results confirm that it depends on the factor of “willingness” of involved actors and the right combination of supportive factors, as there are no regulations to fix the implementation of a façade greening legally

The Shahre Javan Community Detailed Plan : Planning for a Climate Responsive and Sustainable Iranian Urban Quarter

Zugleich gedruckt veröffentlicht im Universitätsverlag der TU Berlin unter der ISBN 978-3-7983-2451-0.This report presents the major accomplishments of the ‘Shahre Javan Community’ pilot project as the main pilot project of the German-Iranian Young Cities research project,. ‘Shahre Javan’ is Farsi and stands for ‘Young City’. The pilot project uses an integrated planning and research process to explore aspects of energy and resource efficiency, climate and environmentally conscious solutions for urban form, architecture, landscape planning, transportation planning, water and energy management, and environmental assessment. It is about the upgraded Iranian detailed plan (‘Tarh-e Tafsili’) for a nearly 45 ha large pilot project area in the southern part of the Hashtgerd New Town, Iran. It includes innovations derived during the strategically integrative urban development and research process, in an effort to reach more climate responsive and more sustainable urban development. Thus, several of the presented solutions go above and beyond the standard content of an Iranian detailed plan. Hence, this publication does not present the or an approved formal Iranian detailed plan. Rather, it combines a reflection of research background, approach, and process with a kind of a hybrid detailed plan report which includes common Iranian detailed plan contents and new and innovative elements as well as research findings going beyond the detailed plan scale and content. Printed Version published by Universitätsverlag der TU Berlin (www.univerlag.tu-berlin.de), ISBN 978-3-7983-2451-