A Shift Towards Landscape-Scale Approaches in Compensation - Suitable Mechanisms and Open Questions |
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Authors: | Marie Grimm Johann Köppel Gesa Geißler |
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Affiliation: | 1. Environmental Assessment &2. Planning Research Group, Berlin Institute of Technology, Berlin, Germanymarie.grimm@tu-berlin.de https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5812-5162;4. Planning Research Group, Berlin Institute of Technology, Berlin, Germany;5. Planning Research Group, Berlin Institute of Technology, Berlin, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8559-9320 |
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Abstract: | ABSTRACTLandscape-scale mitigation approaches reflect a shift from a project-by-project approach to more strategic planning by applying the mitigation hierarchy – avoidance, minimization, compensation – for impacts on natural resources on a larger scale. This paper discusses requirements for the implementation of landscape-scale mitigation approaches in general. It continues with a criteria-based analysis of compensation mechanism under the Endangered Species Act – conservation banks, in-lieu fees, and permittee-responsible mitigation – to determine which mechanism best meets these requirements. Findings show that, in theory, conservation banks are best-suited to implement landscape-scale compensation. However, evidence for claimed benefits of third-party mitigation and large-scale mitigation approaches is lacking. The article concludes by identifying a number of open questions in the field. |
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Keywords: | Mitigation compensation offsets landscape-scale conservation banking Endangered Species Act (ESA) |
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