Integrating Biodiversity Into Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Processes

Integrating Biodiversity into
Environmental and Social

Impact Assessment Processes
The Energy & Biodiversity Initiative

TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
1.
USING THIS DOCUMENT ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
2.
BACKGROUND.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
3.
2.1
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
2.2
Standard ESIAs and biodiversity ......................................................................................................................................................... 6
INTEGRATION OF BIODIVERSITY INTO THE ESIA PROCESS...........................................................................................................................10

3.1
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................................10
3.2
Stakeholder engagement on biodiversity issues ................................................................................................................................12
3.3
Estimation of secondary and cumulative impacts ............................................................................................................................. 13
3.4
Identification of alternatives ...................................................................................................................................................................14
3.5
Screening .....................................................................................................................................................................................................14
3.6
Scoping .........................................................................................................................................................................................................14
3.7
Baseline establishment .............................................................................................................................................................................16
3.8
Evaluation (impact analysis)....................................................................................................................................................................16

3.8.1
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................................16
3.8.2
Impact levels ...............................................................................................................................................................................18
3.8.3
Potential impacts .......................................................................................................................................................................18
3.8.4
Assessing impacts......................................................................................................................................................................19
3.9
Development of mitigation options and implementation................................................................................................................20
3.10
Monitoring and adaptation .....................................................................................................................................................................22
3.11
Challenges and opportunities associated with divestiture .............................................................................................................22
APPENDIX 1. Biodiversity Status Report ......................................................................................................................................................................24

FIGURE 1. The lifecycle of upstream oil and gas operations....................................................................................................................................... 3
FIGURE 2. Overview of the principal steps of an ESIA relevant to biodiversity...................................................................................................... 7
FIGURE 3. Interaction between the environmental and social worlds .................................................................................................................. 11
TABLE 1. Summarized biodiversity impacts..................................................................................................................................................................... 7
BOX 1. Why is biodiversity important to peoples livelihoods? .................................................................................................................................... 8
photo credit: Jeff Gale

Integrating Biodiversity into Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Processes
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The principal purpose of this document is to offer

appropriate guidance on the integration of biodiversity
into an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment
(ESIA). As such, it contains neither a general review of
ESIAs, nor recommendations for the creation of a new
type of ESIA process, focusing instead on the steps and
actions necessary to accomplish the proper integration of
biodiversity. Underpinning these steps and actions is the
principle that, based on an appropriate risk assessment,
biodiversity should be integrated into each relevant stage
of the ESIA process by expanding the scope of analysis
to include biodiversity characteristics, evaluating
impacts holistically using a wider ecosystem approach as
recommended in the Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD), and considering long-term and cumulative
secondary impacts in addition to more immediate,
primary impacts.
Suggestions are made for the integration of biodiversity

into seven key stages of the ESIA process:
In some cases, the government rather than the

company may set the type and extent of ESIA. This
document is principally for use in situations where a
company controls the ESIA. However, it may also be
useful to companies providing input to a governmentled ESIA and to governments seeking to better integrate
biodiversity into their ESIA processes, particularly
in those countries that do not have strong ESIA
requirements, approval processes and mitigation
standards.
Stakeholder engagement and the estimation of secondary

and cumulative impacts are also considered, but as
principles that underpin the ESIA process rather than
as separate stages. There is a close relationship between
social impacts and environmental/biodiversity impacts
that must be accounted for when undertaking an ESIA.
Identification of alternatives.
Screening.
Scoping.
Baseline establishment.
Evaluation (impact analysis).
Development of mitigation options and
implementation.
Monitoring and adaptation.
Finally, the issue of divestiture is addressed: unless

appropriately planned for, the termination of company
operations may also result in a termination of valuable
or necessary biodiversity conservation activities. This
can have potentially significant adverse impacts on
biodiversity, as well as on company reputation, long after
termination of active oil and gas operations. Therefore,
companies should consider addressing biodiversity
issues at end point divestiture in their operational plans
and through ESIA procedures.
1. USING THIS DOCUMENT
This document is primarily aimed at Health, Safety

and Environment (HSE) personnel responsible for
the integration of biodiversity into the ESIA process at
one or more sites. The guidance presented covers the
upstream oil and gas operation lifecycle from pre-bid
to decommissioning (see Figure 1). Other stakeholders
(e.g. local communities and conservation organizations)
interested in understanding the environmental and
social impacts of oil and gas operations, and industrys
responses, might also be potential end-users. To assist
the reader, uncommon words and phrases are defined in
the Energy and Biodiversity Initiatives (EBI) glossary.
Within this document the term environment is defined
broadly to include social, cultural, and other human
dimensions, and impacts is taken to include primary
and secondary impacts unless noted otherwise. Impact
is generally taken to mean a negative change, but may in
some instances (as noted) refer to a positive change.
In some cases, the government, rather than the

company, will undertake the ESIA for a new oil and
gas project. This is particularly the case in the United
States, under the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA). A company may have only limited ability
to influence either the content or the process for a
government-prepared ESIA.
Where the government does not require an ESIA, a
company may undertake it voluntarily.
Any ESIA (voluntary or required) will need to address
the existing set of applicable government standards
and requirements relating to biodiversity or biological
resources protection.
How effectively government protects biodiversity
depends on the combination of applicable standards,
enforcement and ESIAs, rather than the ESIA process
alone. In some cases, that combination will assure that
impacts on biodiversity from a new oil and gas project
will be reduced to an appropriate level. In other cases
it will not. An ESIA is essentially a procedural standard
and does not guarantee a high performance in regard to
It is important to recognize that there are a number of

factors that may affect how and when this document
can be used to assist in the process of biodiversity
integration:
FIGURE 1. THE LIFECYCLE OF UPSTREAM OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS1

Acquire
Concession
Pre-bid
Risk Assessment
Studies
Prove Commercial
Hydrocarbons
Exploration &
Appraisal
Seismic &
Drilling
Start
Production
Development
Drilling &
Construction
End
Production
Operations
Restoration
Decommissioning
Production,
Maintenance &
Transportation
At the pre-bid stage, a company may choose not to proceed with investment and exit the project lifecycle, because of biodiversity or other concerns. For
technical, economic or other reasons, a company may not continue activity after completion of exploration and appraisal. In addition, at any point in the
project lifecycle after the pre-bid stage, a company may choose (or be required by the host government) to exit a project by divesting and transferring
its legal interest to another operator. This possibility may raise a number of issues about the continuity of biodiversity-related philosophy, commitment
and practice from one company to another, potentially jeopardizing sustainable biodiversity conservation and a companys ability to maintain the
reputational value of its activities related to biodiversity conservation (see Framework for Integrating Biodiversity into the Site Selection Process and Section
3.11 in this document for further discussion of this issue).
1
the management of biodiversity issues. Furthermore,

and more importantly, the fact that an ESIA carried
out by a company or government is completed for a
project does not mean that the level of impact will
be acceptable and the recommendations of an ESIA
should be open to challenge by all stakeholders, ideally
through an independent judiciary.
Bearing these factors in mind, this document
will primarily be useful for situations where a
company can control the ESIA. It may also be useful
to companies providing input to a government-led
ESIA and to governments seeking to better integrate
biodiversity into their ESIA processes, particularly
in those countries that do not have strong ESIA
requirements, approval processes, and mitigation
standards. However, only in cases where there are
significant biodiversity issues will many of the steps
suggested in this document be necessary. There are
a number of check and exit points to ensure that
unnecessary work is not undertaken.
This document is designed as a standalone document.
However, relevant information is also contained in
other EBI products. High-level information from this
document is also contained in Integrating Biodiversity
Conservation into Oil and Gas Development (which contains
a summary of the analysis and recommendations of the
EBI and forms the overall context for this document). The
EBI document Integrating Biodiversity into Environmental
Management Systems describes where ESIAs fit into two
PLEASE SEND COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS

AND QUESTIONS TO:
THE ENERGY & BIODIVERSITY INITIATIVE
c/o Dr. Assheton Stewart Carter
The Center for Environmental Leadership in Business
Conservation International
1919 M Street NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
USA
Tel: +1 202 912 1449
Fax: +1 202 912 1047
Email: a.carter@celb.org
Website: www.TheEBI.org
key models for corporate and/or project Environmental

Management Systems (ISO 14001) and integrated Health,
Safety and Environmental Management Systems for oil
and gas exploration and development activities (OGP).
The continued improvement of this document is
dependent on the active participation of end-users and
stakeholders. Therefore comments and suggestions
relating to revisions and additions that will improve the
usability, content and breadth and depth of application in
the oil and gas sector are especially welcome. We are also
actively seeking case studies relating to the integration of
biodiversity into the ESIA process for inclusion in future
updates.
2. BACKGROUND
2.1 INTRODUCTION
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are
commonly applied throughout the oil and gas industry
to establish the potential impacts of company activities.
Increasingly, there is a tendency to integrate the
assessment of social impacts and benefits into EIAs to
produce Environmental and Social Impact Assessment
(ESIAs). In some cases, Social Impact Assessments
(SIAs) may be prepared separately from the EIA where
a more detailed analysis of social impacts than can
be achieved within an ESIA is required. There is an
enormous amount of readily available literature relating
to ESIA and SIA processes. Therefore, the focus of this
document is the integration of biodiversity issues into
the processes rather than the processes themselves,
using as a basis a number of key documents:
International Association of Oil and Gas Producers
(OGP) (formerly E&P Forum). 1997. Principles
for impact assessment: the environmental and social
dimension, Report No. 2.74/265.
International Association of Oil and Gas Producers
(OGP). 2002. Key questions in managing social issues in
oil & gas projects, Report No. 2.85/332.
Shell. 2002. Integrated Impact Assessment: Environmental
Impact Assessment Module, EP 95-0370.
United Nations Environment Programme. 2002. UNEP
Environmental Impact Assessment Training Resource
Manual, Second Edition, ISBN 92 807 2230 1.
Emery, A.R. 2000. Guidelines: integrating indigenous
knowledge in project planning and implementation (see
http://www.kivu.com/wbbook/ikhomepage.html)
Byron, H. 2000. Biodiversity and Environmental Impact
Assessment: A good practice guide for Road Schemes. The
RSPB, WWF-UK, English Nature and the Wildlife
Trusts, Sandy.
Atkinson, S., Bhatia, S., Schoolmaster, F.A. and

Walker, W.T. 2000. Treatment of biodiversity impacts
in a sample of UN environmental impacts statements,
Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 18, pp.271-282.
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP 6
Decision VI-7-A: Further development of guidelines
for incorporating biodiversity-related issues into
environmental impact assessment legislation or
processes and in strategic impact assessment.
European Commission. 2000. Towards Sustainable
Economic and Development Co-operation, Environmental
Integration Manual: Good Practice in EIA/SEA Biodiversity (p.277-314).
European Commission. 2000. Towards Sustainable
Economic and Development Co-operation, Environmental
Integration Manual: Sustainable Environmental
Management - Sensitive Environments (p. 315-335).
IAIA. 2001. Proposed conceptual and procedural
framework for the integration of biological diversity
considerations with national systems for impact
assessment.
Council on Environmental Quality. 1993. National
Environmental Policy Act Compliance Guide. Part III, CEQ
Guidance Documents, III-10 Incorporating Biodiversity
Considerations in Environmental Impact Assessment under
the National Environmental Policy Act.
Treweek, J., Zanewich, D. 2001. Integrating Biodiversity
into National Environmental Assessment Processes: A
Summary of Country Reports and Case Studies. Komex
Europe Ltd, Bristol, UK prepared for UNEP.
Treweek, J., Zanewich, D. 2001. Integrating Biodiversity
into National Environmental Assessment Processes:
Annotated Bibliography. Komex Europe Ltd, Bristol,
UK prepared for UNEP.
2.2 STANDARD ESIAS AND BIODIVERSITY

At its simplest, an ESIA is the process of identifying,
estimating and evaluating the environmental and social
consequences of current or proposed actions (see Figure
2 for an overview of the principal stages of an ESIA
relevant to biodiversity). From a companys perspective,
an ESIA with an appropriate biodiversity focus should not
only satisfy regulatory requirements, but also contribute
to the improvement of its internal project design,
construction and implementation activities as a means
of minimizing biodiversity impacts. Therefore, the ESIA
process should be an integral component of corporateand project-level environmental or integrated health,
safety and environmental management systems (EMS
and HSEMS, respectively).
See Integrating Biodiversity into Environmental

Management Systems.
It might be argued that a standard ESIA already

includes biodiversity issues, and some companies do
indeed include biodiversity in the process. However,
best practice now requires a more explicit and
comprehensive integration of biodiversity based on a
valid and transparent risk assessment. This contrasts, in
general terms, with a standard approach that may fail to
take full account of:
The significance of seasonality and natural cycles/
variability for biodiversity measurement and
monitoring (e.g. project timescales may not allow for
long-term surveying of biodiversity).
FIGURE 2. OVERVIEW OF THE PRINCIPAL STAGES OF AN ESIA RELEVANT TO BIODIVERSITY

Identifcation of alternatives
Screening
Limited ESIA
Full ESIA
Scoping
Insufficient
data
Baseline
Evaluation (impact analysis)
NOTE: It is important to remember that the

nature and extent of an ESIA will, in many cases,
be decided by the government rather than the
company this may significantly influence the
flowchart shown (see Section 1).
Development of mitigation
options & implementation
Monitoring & adaption
Challenges & opportunities

associated with divestiture
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ESTIMATION OF SECONDARY AND CUMULATIVE IMPACTS
Further study
Sufficient data
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ON BIODIVERSITY ISSUES
No ESIA
TABLE 1. EXAMPLES OF POTENTIAL PRIMARY BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS2

PROJECT
STAGE
PROJECT ACTIVITY
Exploration:
seismic,
drilling, etc.
Onshore
Provision of access (airstrips, temporary roads)
Set up and operation of camps and fly camps
Use of resources (water, aggregate)
Storage of fuel
Cleaning of lines and layout geophones
Shot hole drilling
Use of explosives
Closure of shot holes, mud pits, camps and access
infrastructure
Mobilization of drill rig
Drilling operations
Well testing/flaring
POTENTIAL BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS
Footprint impacts to habitats/flora

Disturbance of fauna
Noise impacts on animal populations
Physical disturbance of soils and watercourses
Contamination of soils, surface and groundwater
Landscape modification, visual impact
Marine
Vessel mobilization and movement
Vessel emissions and discharges
Seismic operation
Anchor rig/lower legs
Use of chemicals
Mud and cuttings discharge
Fuelling and fuel handling
Blow-out risk
Construction
Impact on fish
Disturbance of marine mammals
Disturbance of sediment and benthic populations
Contamination of sediment
Impact on seabirds, coastal habitats, etc. in event of oil spill
Onshore
Set-up and operation of construction camps
Provision of construction access
Resource use (water, timber, aggregate)
Import of heavy plant and machinery
Vehicle movements
Earthmoving, foundations, excavation
Storage/use of fuel and construction materials
Generation of construction wastes
Temporary and permanent loss of habitat and component

ecological populations due to temporary and permanent
footprint
Soil erosion and reduction in productivity
Contamination of soils, surface and groundwater
Damage to cultural heritage
Marine
Mobilization and movement of vessels
Vessel emissions and discharges
Anchoring, piling
Operation/
Production
Disturbance to sediment, benthic fauna and other seabed

flora and fauna
Loss of seabed habitat
Disturbance to marine mammals
Onshore
Footprint
Visible presence
Import and export of materials and products
Product handling, storage, use of chemicals and fuel
Solid wastes arising
Liquid effluent
Emissions to atmosphere
Noise
Light
Marine
Direct footprint
Chemicals storage, handling and use
Emissions to atmosphere
Operational noise, helicopter supply and standby vessel
movement
Discharges to sea
Oil spill risk
Light
Long-term landtake effects on ecology

Effects on landscape and visual amenity
Soil and groundwater contamination
Effects on water quality, aquatic ecology and resource users
Effects on air quality, ecology and human health
Global warming
Loss of seabed habitat

Interruption to fishing effort
Disturbance to seabirds and marine mammals
Effects on water quality and marine ecology
Effects on air quality and global warming
Risk to marine and coastal resources in event of spill
Adapted from Shells Integrated Impact Assessment: Environmental Impact Assessment Module, EP 95-0370, May 2002. Secondary impacts are covered in
Good Practice in the Prevention and Mitigation of Primary and Secondary Biodiversity Impacts and the EBI Good Practice Database (forthcoming).
2
Secondary impacts (i.e. those that do not result

directly from project activities, but are triggered by
the operations, may reach outside project or even
concession boundaries and may begin before or
endure beyond a projects lifecycle).
Different stakeholder perspectives as to what

biodiversity is of value.
Sites that have not been designated for protection.
Non-protected species.
Resource use to supply development and operational

stages (e.g. water, timber and food requirements that
can affect biodiversity away from the core activity
area).
Local, regional and national conservation priorities.
The significance of biodiversity for peoples livelihoods

and quality of life (see Box 1).
Examples of other primary biodiversity impacts that may
need to be considered are summarized in Table 1. These,
in turn, may cause primary and secondary environmental
and social impacts as noted in Section 3.
BOX 1. WHY IS BIODIVERSITY IMPORTANT TO PEOPLES LIVELIHOODS

A significant proportion of the worlds population is directly dependent on the surrounding environment for subsistence
and livelihood support. The correlation between local environment and subsistence or livelihoods support is strongest for
poor and rural populations, the same populations that have the least influence in key decision-making processes relating
to their environments. This fact underlines the importance of stakeholder engagement to assimilate local knowledge
and address community concerns regarding the integrity of subsistence and livelihood systems. Examples of the role of
biodiversity in supporting subsistence and livelihoods include:
Subsistence goods Biodiversity supports and provides a vast array of products that can be hunted or gathered from
natural, semi-natural or managed environments for subsistence use. Common examples include foods, building and
clothing materials, medicines and foods for domesticated animals.
Tradable goods Examples supported or provided by biodiversity include foods, timber, wildlife, fish and genetic
resources.
Biodiversity also provides less tangible indirect benefits these cannot be traded, but underpin the natural production
systems central to many peoples livelihoods:
Environmental services Biodiversity is the medium through which air, water, gases and chemicals are moderated and
exchanged to create environmental services, including watershed protection and carbon storage (large-scale examples)
and nutrient recycling (small-scale example).
Informational and evolutionary Biodiversity comprises genetic diversity and associated information, used by people
to create new crops or animal varieties and pharmaceuticals. Biodiversity also allows adaptation to take place through
natural and artificial selection.
Aesthetic Unique species and special landscapes may be important sources of revenue through initiatives such as
ecotourism.
Non-use benefits of biodiversity, such as the capacity to adapt to future changes, risks and uncertainties cannot be
captured by individuals, but are owned by society at local, regional and global levels.
It is not always the case that such direct or indirect uses of biodiversity resources are sustainable, and in supporting
livelihoods, biodiversity itself is often put at risk. There is a global trend toward more material-based cultures, which
has focused demands on direct use and generation of private benefits from biodiversity resources, rather than on the
maintenance of public biodiversity resources. There is, therefore, a growing need to better balance the support of
livelihoods with the conservation of the very biodiversity resources that underpins that support.
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With appropriate integration of biodiversity issues into

the ESIA process, a company can:
Identify early on the potential risks/impacts of the
project on biodiversity.
Maintain as far as possible the biodiversity of the area
by avoiding or reducing impacts.
Benefit the biodiversity of that particular environment
by managing its land for biodiversity and properly
decommissioning the area.
performance and appropriate management of

risks, thereby supporting its license to operate and
safeguarding its reputation.
Gain access to local knowledge (via local organizations
and communities).
Make the link between the ecological and social
aspects of biodiversity in, for example, safeguarding
livelihoods.
Reduce potential future liability arising from damage
to biodiversity resources.
Obtain support and recognition from the conservation

community and other stakeholders for responsible
3. INTEGRATION OF BIODIVERSITY INTO THE ESIA PROCESS3
3.1 INTRODUCTION
In April 2002, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to
the CBD decided to endorse a set of draft guidelines
for incorporating biodiversity-related issues into
EIAs (COP 6 Decision VI/7-A) and by extension
ESIAs. These guidelines were primarily based on the
conceptual and procedural framework prepared by IAIA
(2001). Although the COP decision is directed toward
governments, the main substance of the decision and the
draft guidelines are clearly relevant for the oil and gas
industry as well.
The decision emphasizes that the definition of the term
environment in national legislation and procedures
should fully incorporate the concept of biodiversity
as defined by the CBD, such that plants, animals and
microorganisms are considered at the genetic, species/
community and ecosystem/habitat levels, and also
in terms of ecosystem structure and function. This
recommendation is also applicable with respect to
company policies and requirements, and should be the
basis for environmental and social assessments in oil and
gas projects.
Furthermore, the ecosystem approach, as described in
decision V/6 of the COP, is referred to as an appropriate
framework for the assessment of planned action and
policies. In accordance with this approach, the proper
temporal and spatial scales of the problems should be
determined, as well as the functions of biodiversity and
their tangible and intangible values for humans that
could be affected by the proposed project or policy, the
type of adaptive mitigation measures and the need for the
participation of stakeholders in decision-making. The
importance of focusing on key ecological processes and
functions are emphasized, which implies that there is a
As noted in Section 1, in some cases the government and national
legislation will dictate the need for, and type of ESIA undertaken, rather
than the company. It will not always be at the discretion of the company.
It is important to remember this while reading the following sections, as
the suggested approaches to integrating biodiversity may be superseded
when the company has little control over the ESIA process.
3
10
need to consider the full range of ecosystems and habitats

involved, as the ecological processes and functions may
vary depending on the ecosystems and habitats affected.
Within the context noted above, and based on an
appropriate risk assessment, biodiversity can be
integrated into each stage of the ESIA process by:
Adopting an ecosystem approach grounded in the CBD
(see above).
Ensuring secondary and/or cumulative impacts are
fully accounted for (see Section 3.3).
Analyzing and responding to the interaction between
the environmental and social worlds (see Figure 3).
Differentiating between different levels of impact (i.e.
ecosystem, species and genetic) and responding with
appropriate preventative and mitigative actions (see
Section 3.8).
Therefore, considering the main objectives of the CBD
(conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing of
benefits derived from biological diversity), the following
biodiversity-related questions need to be answered in an
ESIA:
(a) Does the intended activity affect the physical
environment in such a manner or cause such
biological losses that it influences the chance
of extinction of cultivars, varieties, populations
of species, or the chance of loss of habitats or
ecosystems?
(b) Does the intended activity surpass the maximal
sustainable yield, the carrying capacity of a habitat/
ecosystem or the maximum and minimum allowable
disturbance level of a resource, population or
ecosystem?
(c) Does the intended activity result in changes to the
access to and rights over biological resources?
FIGURE 3. INTERACTION BETWEEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL WORLDS
Environmental "world"
Social "world"
Project Interventions
biophysical
social
Biophysical changes
In soil, water, air, flora & fauna
Social change processes
D
higher order changes / change processes
Project Interventions
biophysical
social
Social change processes
Biophysical changes
F
Biophysical impacts
On functions of the
natural environment
Social impacts
Change in use values and non-use
values, expressed in social,
economic or ecological terms
A. Activities lead to biophysical changes: Proposed projects or activities consist of biophysical as well as social interventions.
Biophysical interventions lead to biophysical changes (defined as changes in the characteristics of the recipient media soil, water,
air, flora and fauna).
B. Each direct biophysical change can result in a chain of secondary biophysical changes.
C. Activities lead to social change processes. Projects can also carry out social interventions that lead to social change processes
(defined as changes in the characteristics of individuals, families, functional groups or a society as a whole); the nature of these
characteristics can be demographic, economic, socio-cultural, institutional, land use, etc.
D. Each direct social change process can lead to secondary social change processes.
E. Social change processes lead to biophysical changes and vice versa.
F. Biophysical changes lead to biophysical impacts. Impacts are defined as changes in the quality or quantity of the goods and
services that are provided by the biophysical environment, in other words a change in the functions provided by the biophysical
environment.
G. Impacts lead to changed values for society (social impacts). A change in the functions that are provided by the natural
environment will lead to a change in their value for human society as society puts a value on these functions. Biodiversity
provides functions that provide use and non-use values to human society.
H. Social change processes and social impacts. Under conditions, depending on the characteristics of the existing community, social
change processes cause social impacts.
I. As human beings or society as a whole are able to respond to impacts, the experience of social impacts in some cases leads to
so-called invoked social changes processes.
11
In answering these questions it must be borne in mind

that the objectives, level, scope and detail of the ESIA
into which biodiversity may be integrated will vary
according to the project lifecycle stage. The information
available and circumstances will also vary through the
lifecycle:
Good practice dictates that an environmental and
social risk assessment that considers potentially
significant impacts of project activity be conducted
before entering an area (e.g. in the pre-bid stage).
During pre-bid, the data gathered will normally be
based on existing information and surveys.
For further information on identifying areas of high

biodiversity or conservation values see Framework
for Integrating Biodiversity into the Site Selection
Process.
However, a lack of detailed biodiversity information,

in parallel with the complexity of natural systems and
the potential for irreversible impacts, may make the
application of the precautionary principle appropriate
(i.e. that the absence of scientific certainty does
not justify avoiding/postponing actions to prevent
biodiversity impacts). It is important to recognize
that information gathered at this stage may be
commercially sensitive, which in turn may influence
how wider discussions with other stakeholders are
conducted.
During or before exploration and appraisal, there
may be a need for a wider range of more detailed
biodiversity information. Data may come from
small-scale surveys, consultation with in-country
conservation NGOs, careful extrapolation from desk
studies or studies in areas that have similar geological/
resource, physical and biological characteristics.
During development, in cases where high biodiversity
values have been previously confirmed, more detailed
surveys may be required. These assessments provide
the baseline for future monitoring, evaluation
and further research to fill any gaps in knowledge
identified previously.
During operations, additional biodiversity impacts not
initially predicted may be identified, and mitigation
and monitoring actions will need to be identified.
The outcome of monitoring will contribute to the
refinement of processes and policy as necessary.
12
During decommissioning, data will focus on ways to meet

the final objectives of restoration and reclamation
and, where appropriate, the longer-term aspects of
aftercare.
The rest of this section presents a step-by-step
assessment of where and how biodiversity can be
integrated with the major stages of a typical ESIA.
Information presented is for guidance only, and should
be adapted to the specific design and implementation of
individual ESIAs. Steps that do not specifically require
consideration of biodiversity (relative to the standard
approach taken for other environmental issues) are not
included (e.g. preparation of an Environmental Impact
Statement, review of ESIA quality, decision-making and
reporting).
3.2 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ON
BIODIVERSITY ISSUES
Stakeholder engagement on biodiversity issues is
central to the integration of biodiversity into the ESIA
process. Therefore, it is not a discrete stage, but rather
an activity that runs throughout the ESIA process (see
Figure 2 ). There are extensive resources in the public
literature to help organizations design and implement
effective stakeholder engagement processes (e.g. Doing
Better Business Through Effective Public Consultation and
Disclosure: A Good Practice Manual, International Finance
Corporation, 1998). This emphasizes the recognition of
both primary and secondary effects in an environment
over time. OGP and IPIECA have published principles for
consultation during project planning and development
(Principles for Impact Assessment: Environmental and Social
Dimension, Report Number 2.76/265, August 1997, Oil
Industry Exploration & Production Forum).
The need to consult and involve different stakeholders,
and in particular to involve indigenous people, is
strongly highlighted both in the COP 7 decision and
in other documents. This is underlined by the close
relationship between social impacts and environmental/
biodiversity impacts. As information about biodiversity
is rarely complete, stakeholder involvement may identify
additional, unofficial resources and help ensure that
all relevant biodiversity concerns are noted. This is
especially relevant where biological resources have both
functional and cultural importance for societal groups.
In such areas, potential operations must fully understand
the overall value of biodiversity resources accorded by
those stakeholders.
Local communities can indicate which aspects of

biodiversity are particularly important to them, and
identify opportunities to make positive contributions
(e.g. expertise and research that may fill gaps in
conservation efforts and biodiversity knowledge). Local,
national, or international conservation NGOs can serve
as partners in bringing the various local, and at times
national, stakeholders together into a consultative
process. Many have substantial experience working
with other local stakeholders, such as communities,
and have extensive knowledge of both biodiversity and
the measures necessary to conserve it. Governments
can provide vital information about the regulatory
requirements for the area, and financing institutions can
provide information on their requirements and on what
they consider best practice for the specific situation.
In addition to understanding what can be obtained
from stakeholders in terms of information, it is equally
important to define their needs so that any data acquired
can meet a demand and satisfy concerns.
Depending on the project, consultation at the local,
regional and international level may be appropriate
and may involve a diverse set of individuals and
organizations. Identifying stakeholders with relevant
information on, or interests in, biodiversity can present
significant challenges. Demands to participate in the
consultation process may come from those whose
affected interests are unclear, appear insubstantial,
or who do not appear to be directly associated with
communities affected by a project. Conversely, it may
be difficult to ensure adequate representation of some
important stakeholder groups, due to cultural, religious,
gender, economic or other factors. This is true of all
consultation processes, but is particularly important
when consulting with indigenous peoples with extensive
traditional knowledge relating to biodiversity.
Local communities often have a fund of knowledge and
expertise that is extremely valuable in project planning
and implementation. It is important to recognize that
local communities may be, but are not necessarily the
same as, indigenous communities, which are often
located in rural environments. If there are stakeholders/
ethnic groups potentially affected by the project who
would be considered indigenous, then intensive
consultation requirements may be required if they are
considered vulnerable or marginalized, particularly
in countries that are parties to the International Labor
Organization Convention No. 169 on Indigenous Peoples.
Biodiversity impacts may play an important role in that
consultation.
Equally, indigenous peoples may possess an immense

knowledge of their environments, based on an
understanding of the properties of plants and animals,
the functioning of ecosystems and the techniques
for using and managing them that is particular and
often detailed. In rural communities in developing
countries, locally occurring species are relied on for
many sometimes all foods, medicines, fuel, building
materials and other products.
Traditional knowledge has value and validity, but it is not
possible to compare scientific and traditional knowledge
as simple equivalents. The suggestion that traditional
knowledge should be approached as traditional science
diminishes its breadth and value, and may result in the
consultation process not delivering its full benefits in
terms of knowledge passed to the company. Traditional
knowledge of the area can significantly reduce the
effort to acquire this knowledge if it is included in the
survey. The development of large-scale detailed maps,
catalogs, and even Geographical Information Systems of
traditional information by some indigenous associations
will vastly speed the process of transfer of information.
Local non-indigenous communities of long standing
also have traditional knowledge of the local conditions,
environment and wildlife. This knowledge may be as
in-depth as indigenous traditional knowledge in certain
areas, and therefore is of great importance to project
planners.
A very useful reference document on this subject is
Integrating Indigenous Knowledge in Project Planning and
Implementation, (Emery, A.R. 2000. International Labor
Organization, The World Bank, Canadian International
Development Agency, and KIVU Nature Inc.).
See Integrating Biodiversity Conservation into Oil

and Gas Development, Box 11.
3.3 ESTIMATION OF SECONDARY AND

CUMULATIVE IMPACTS
As with stakeholder engagement, consideration of
secondary and cumulative impacts is an activity that
underpins the entire ESIA process. The purpose of
this activity is to identify secondary impacts and their
incremental impacts when added to other past, present
and foreseeable current activities. There are many
factors that can affect the success of a project. Longterm cycles can be the critically important factors in
determining ultimate effects of introduced stresses and
13
changes. Gradual changes may have an accumulating

effect. In cumulative effect, these small changes can
ultimately be harmful. The people best equipped to
discover these subtle potential changes are often the
holders of traditional knowledge of the area. When
traditional knowledge is used in its original context,
and in partnership with other knowledge systems, the
combination is often a powerful tool.
3.5 SCREENING
However, assessing cumulative effects in practice may

require a Strategic Impact Assessment to:
No further ESIA is required.
Assess impact over a larger area (i.e. by taking an

ecosystem and regional approach as opposed to just
looking at the direct footprint of the proposed project).
Consider impact on receptors due to interactions with
other projects and activities not just the project
under review.
Evaluate significance in terms of different spatial and
temporal scales.
3.4 IDENTIFICATION OF ALTERNATIVES
This stage (which may also take place during the scoping
phase) assesses the proposed action and reasonable
alternatives to it (including the no action or no
project alternative). This can apply to the overall
project and discrete elements within it. Project teams
need to develop at the outset a system to document
the process of analyzing alternatives for internal and
external communications. It is important that emerging
knowledge on biodiversity is fed into critical project
decisions. For example, the biodiversity experts in
the ESIA team may interact with engineers and others
determining an optimum pipeline corridor or facility
location, to take account of areas of sensitivity, weather
windows for construction and restoration issues.
Evaluating alternatives also benefits enormously from
consultation with stakeholders, who can provide local
context and indicate which aspects of biodiversity are
particularly important to them. The permanency of
the activity being considered may also influence the
assessment of alternatives the need for alternatives may
be approached differently if the impact on biodiversity is
temporary rather than permanent (e.g. a short-term dirt
access road against a permanent tarmac road linking two
or more communities).
14
Screening is a high-level review to determine whether a

partial or complete ESIA is necessary for a project (where
that choice can be made by the company). It establishes
the basis for scoping, which in turn identifies the key
impacts to be studied and establishes terms of reference
for an ESIA. Several outcomes are possible from screening:
A full and comprehensive ESIA is required.

A more limited ESIA is required (often called a
preliminary or initial assessment).
Further study is necessary to determine the level of
ESIA required.
The company makes a decision based on available
information that it does not wish to proceed with the
project (in the case of a new project or acquisition).
For all these outcomes, it is likely that biodiversity will be
only one of several factors leading to a decision. Indeed,
for many countries, some of the key screening criteria
relate to the presence of land statutorily designated
for its nature conservation interest, or the presence
of protected species, rather than to biodiversity per se,
the sites having been chosen in advance of subsequent
biodiversity-specific legislation. For other countries,
the first sieve may be assessing the need for an ESIA to
explicitly address biodiversity if the area has protected
status or is designated as a priority area for biodiversity
conservation. Therefore, the integration of biodiversity
at the screening stage may be country (or region)
specific.
See Framework for Integrating Biodiversity into

the Site Selection Process and International
Conventions.
3.6 SCOPING
Scoping refers to the early, open and interactive process
of determining the major issues and impacts that, in
effect, become the terms of reference for an ESIA
(if required based on screening outcome). From a
biodiversity perspective it is critical that longer-term
temporal and wider spatial issues are considered, as well
as immediate and proximal issues, as these impacts will
often have the most enduring biodiversity impacts of a

potential operation.
See Negative Secondary Impacts from Oil and Gas

Development.
Scoping typically builds on existing information some

of which will have been acquired and considered in the
earlier phases noted above. Ready access is required to
information, including:
Locations of protected areas.
Locations of sensitive or important habitats or
ecosystems.
Distributions of protected species.
Distributions of habitats used by protected species including those that are non-resident in an area.
Distributions of protected habitats.
Experts in biodiversity, including taxonomic
specialists.
Uses of biodiversity resources (e.g. data, information,
organizations, etc.).
The types of questions that may be asked to assist in
the screening process are shown below in Section
3.8. Scoping should involve the correct expertise (i.e.
ecologists and biologists), particularly if the project
is located in or near a protected area or a sensitive
environment. These experts will review the project and
possible areas for development, and work out which
ecological functions are important and likely to be
affected. In some countries, there may be insufficient
expertise and capacity available, and some capacity
building might therefore be necessary.
Where scoping has identified gaps in biodiversity
data, surveys may be required. According to resource
and information needs, these may range from rapid
assessments through to more thorough targeted studies
and sampling. Whatever survey method is used, it is
important to avoid underestimation of the overall value
of an area due to factors such as seasonality, or the need
for longer-term data. However, the collection of such
additional supportive data may be precluded by tight
bidding or exploration schedules. This emphasizes
the need for the use of standard biological sampling
techniques in assessments recognizing the strengths

and limitations of the survey data. It also underlines the
need, wherever possible, to gather several sets of samples
over a reasonable timeframe, in order to provide a firm
baseline for ESIA assessment and evaluation.
See Biodiversity Indicators for Monitoring Impacts
and Conservation Actions.
To include biodiversity considerations at this stage,

it is important to focus on longer-term and wider
spatial effects, as they will be among the most intense
and enduring impacts on biodiversity. During scoping
it is important to have access to quality information
(e.g. protected, sensitive or important areas, species,
ecosystems and habitats; distribution of species and
habitats; and social issues that might affect biodiversity).
In addition to identifying the issues that are likely to be
of most importance during the ESIA process, scoping
also eliminates those that are of little concern. In this
way, scoping ensures that ESIA studies are focused on the
significant effects, and time and money are not wasted on
unnecessary investigations.
Scoping is a key step in management of social issues,
since its purpose is to develop a basic understanding
of a projects social setting, potential stakeholders,
stakeholder issues and the range of probable social
impacts and benefits to be addressed. Potential social
impacts and benefits are identified that are likely to
be interrelated with biodiversity issues, and likely
mitigation measures and monitoring requirements
are described. As a project develops, assessments are
conducted to evaluate and update the initial scoping
results. Several assessments might take place during
the planning, development and operations phases of
a project, and then be modified as new information is
obtained.
The range of likely social impacts and benefits can be
identified and prioritized using a variety of means,
including discussion or interviews with potentially
affected people. Public input helps to ensure that
important issues are not overlooked when preparing the
terms of reference for the subsequent ESIA process.
As noted above, local/traditional knowledge about the
presence, use and value of biodiversity resources should
be incorporated where possible. Another potentially
useful reference source on this subject is International
Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP), 2002, Key
questions in managing social issues in oil & gas projects,
Report No. 2.85/332.
15
3.7 BASELINE ESTABLISHMENT

Prediction of impacts on biodiversity is difficult.
Understanding how an ecosystem changes through time,
even without an oil and/or gas project, is not simple.
An important first stage in gaining an understanding
of how the system might be changed by the proposed
project is to take a snap-shot of the existing conditions
the baseline environment. Often the main difficulty
associated with assessing biodiversity baselines is the
limited time within the ESIA for a thorough assessment.
This results in issues such as migratory patterns and
seasonal variations not being addressed properly, making
it still more difficult to develop an accurate assessment.
This is not to say, however, that baseline surveys within
a standard ESIA should not be conducted, but it will
be a case of professional judgment (either in-house or
external) of how detailed they should be. Utilizing the
skills of an expert within the ESIA team can expedite both
the fieldwork and the interpretation of related findings.
In addition, consultation with local stakeholders such as
local communities (harnessing local knowledge such as
ethno-botany), academics and local organizations will
help to build a more accurate baseline.
The baseline survey provides the necessary information
on the site-specific environmental setting of the project,
and should include information about the components of
biodiversity (ecosystems and species, in particular) that
may be affected. If the project is in or near a protected
area and/or sensitive environment, and it is not
practicable to locate the project outside the area, then the
baseline will likely entail more extensive work. Ideally,
field surveys should be designed to yield information
about ecosystem or species functioning, as well as
recording the habitats and species that are present.
This could include, for example, watershed dynamics,
extent of habitat intactness, seasonality, migration and
breeding patterns, and predator-prey relationships.
Such elements will be important in developing an
understanding of how the ecosystem and its component
species will react to changes caused by the development.
Appendix 1 summarizes some of the key information that
might be assembled in preparation for fieldwork through
the use of a Biodiversity Status Report Form.
Biodiversity field surveys will require sufficient time
and resources. However, it should be recognized that
mobilizing environmental survey teams into remote
or difficult areas may be costly. An efficient way of
undertaking some surveys may be to combine them with
other project surveys (e.g. when conducting coastal bed
16
topographic surveys it may be more cost-effective to

include a benthic survey).
The results of the baseline surveys should be shared with
stakeholders through the engagement process. This is
an important step as it provides feedback on the work
undertaken, and identifies the extent and nature of any
further work required. Having established a biodiversity
baseline and discussed it with stakeholders, it is then
necessary to work systematically through the various
activities and aspects of each development alternative
to determine the likely effects of those activities on the
baseline, making sure to:
Take into account the nature of the impact (direct
or indirect, long term or short term, effects from
cumulative impacts, etc.).
Identify the type of impact (positive enhancing
biodiversity; negative causing biodiversity loss; or
neutral no net change).
Determine the likely magnitude of the residual impact
(x hectares/acres of an ecosystem or habitat, x number
of individuals of a species, etc.).
Take into account the effects that could be associated
with emergency situations so as to consider such risks
in the design of appropriate emergency response
plans.
3.8 EVALUATION (IMPACT ANALYSIS)
3.8.1 Introduction
The ecosystem approach used by the CBD, which stresses
the interrelatedness of potential issues, offers an
effective model for understanding the interplay between
the different components of an intended operation. It
allows for the recognition and prediction of primary
and secondary biodiversity impacts and their effects
over time. The approach recognizes that changes need
not be immediate, but can be either the result of single
or cumulative impacts, typically when a threshold
is exceeded. This reaffirms the need for consistent,
quantified data as the basis for discussion, evaluation and
potential subsequent action as part of the ESIA process.

In predicting impacts, it is necessary to take into account

the:
Ability of an ecosystem/habitat or species to recover.
Local value and role of biodiversity.
Temporary nature/cycles of some processes (e.g.
flooding, migrations, etc.).
Global, national or local significance (or importance)
of the biodiversity component and other national
values or ecological processes.
For the purposes of an ESIA, it is useful to place some
sort of value (low, moderate, high) on the components
that might potentially be affected. Although this is
to some extent subjective, expert judgment (and
stakeholder engagement) will ensure a reasonable degree
of consensus on the intrinsic value of a resource. Expert
judgment can also play an important role in designing a
monitoring program that systematically assesses impacts
against the baseline. This will assist in determining
adaptive measures to enhance operations while limiting
their negative impacts.
Once the potential biodiversity impacts are summarized
and available data analyzed, the significance of any
potential impacts can be assessed. It is important
to also consider impacts on a wider temporal and
geographic scale. Impact identification and prediction
are undertaken against an environmental baseline, often
delineated by selected indices and indicators, including
ecological sensitivity and biodiversity. The collection of
baseline information and the relevant biophysical and
socio-economic conditions begins during screening and
continues in scoping. Often, additional baseline data
will need to be collected to establish reference points
for impact identification and prediction. This allows the
balanced assessment of the biodiversity and wider social
impacts of the possible activity and their significance.
Significance here relates both to direct biodiversity
effects: e.g. the exceeding of survivability thresholds,
the likelihood of unacceptable loss in terms of national/
international objectives (such as agreed under the CBD),
and social changes and impacts with their associated
secondary biodiversity impacts. Significance will vary
according to national standards, and may be enshrined
in law.
In evaluating the overall significance of the impact, it
is necessary to consider the importance or sensitivity
of the biodiversity resource that is being affected, the
magnitude of the impact and its use value (e.g. to local

communities see Box 1). Should there be limited
site-specific biodiversity information available, it may
be feasible to fine-tune the assessment using secondary
data sources (e.g. remote sensing data, certain local
stakeholders), which may hold information about the
potential area where the project might be located. Data
are more likely to exist if the area is under protection, or
has been designated as a conservation priority area by a
government agency or conservation organization.
See Framework for Integration of Biodiversity into

the Site Selection Process for further information on
significance.
The types of questions relevant to biodiversity during

impact analysis may include:
Are there any endemic species in the concession?
What is the level of endemism? What percentage of the
global/regional population is in the concession?
Are there key ecosystem services/functions of critical
importance in the concession (e.g. breeding and
feeding areas for global and regional migratory species,
migration corridor for terrestrial species)?
Is the ecosystem particularly vulnerable to the introduction
of new alien invasive species (e.g. is it an island)?
Are there any non-designated areas of high
biodiversity value (e.g. ancient woodlands, coastal
habitats such as estuaries, dune systems or salt
marshes, bogs, mires and fens, or mangrove areas) in
the concession?
Are there any ecosystems and habitats that are subject
to national, regional or local Habitat Action Plans?
Are there any ecosystems and habitats representative
of unique biological processes (e.g. hydrology), as
compared to other ecosystems/habitats in the area?
Are there any species under protection (e.g.
Convention on Migratory Species, the Birds or Habitat
Directives etc)?
See International Conventions.
17
Within the wider context of such questions, when

predicting and evaluating impacts on biodiversity
resources, it is important to consider biodiversity at
three levels: ecosystem/habitat, species and genetic.
There is also a social change component to consider and
it is therefore important to predict and assess impact
on biodiversity in terms of both conservation and the
sustainable use of biodiversity resources (see Box 1).
SPECIES
As with ecosystems, it is also important to assess whether

the project will affect the sustainable use of a local
population of a species. It is important to note however,
that the value given to certain species by stakeholders
may not be recognized as very important internationally
or nationally, but nevertheless may be significant locally.
GENETIC
3.8.2 Impact levels
Many species are comprised of numerous populations

that have their own genetic distinctiveness. The loss of
any genetically distinctive population therefore is likely
to have a significant impact. The problem, however, is
that it is extremely difficult to determine the potential
loss of natural genetic diversity. This may mean, in
practical terms, that the focus on impacts may need to be
at species or ecosystem/habitat levels.
ECOSYSTEM/HABITAT
3.8.3 Potential impacts
See Framework for Integration of Biodiversity into

the Site Selection Process (Question 6) for further
information on impacts at ecosystem/habitat, species
and genetic levels.
The conservation value of ecosystems and habitats is

assessed according to widely accepted criteria, of which
the most important are naturalness, fragility, extent,
rarity and diversity. Naturalness and diversity can be
strongly correlated, and re-created habitats tend to be
more species poor and more sensitive to impacts than
their natural or semi-natural equivalents. The fragility
and sensitivity of the habitat/ecosystem and its ability to
recover (either naturally or through proper management)
from disturbance must be considered. This criterion is
linked also to size, naturalness and rarity, but fragile sites
are often highly fragmented, decreasing rapidly in extent
and number and difficult to re-create.
Potential physical and biological impacts (adapted from

Shells Integrated Impact Assessment: Environmental Impact
Assessment Module, EP 95-0370, May 2002) include:
HABITAT LOSS EFFECTS
Permanent habitat loss on site.

Temporary habitat loss on site (e.g. land taken up by
construction equipment/temporary roads).
Physical removal of soils and vegetation.
HABITAT FRAGMENTATION EFFECTS
In addition to the above-mentioned criteria, the impact

on an ecosystems ability to provide long-term services
or functions must be assessed. For example, has the
company assessed all the impacts to an ecosystem when
locating a project in a watershed? The ability for that
ecosystem to continue to provide services such as clean
water, soil erosion defenses, and drainage needs to be
assessed, as well as the potential impact these changes
may have on local economic and production systems or
on any local communities that might depend on such
services.
Often the conservation and sustainable use importance
of a habitat/ecosystem will be a function of the species
and communities that it contains. In predicting and
assessing biodiversity impacts, it is also important to
consider impacts at the species level. Potential impacts to
species are assessed according to accepted criteria such
as population dynamics and the extent to which species/
communities are rare or under threat.
18
Reduced habitat connectivity in the landscape can

disrupt the established relationships between different
habitats or patches of the same habitat (e.g. migratory
routes might be interrupted).
Barrier effects on species (e.g. above-ground
pipelines), can affect the movement of wildlife.
Normal non-migratory movement patterns may be
influenced by presence of oil and gas infrastructure.
Increased mortality due to collisions with vehicles, for
example.
Edge effects if vegetation is removed the new linear
gap creates a new microclimate and a change in
physical conditions that can extend varying distances
from the edge. This newly created habitat may provide
habitat for edge species and facilitate dispersal for
some species.
Reduced patch size may reduce populations of key

plant species, which in turn may affect the abundance
of insects. These require a minimum area to sustain
viable populations and may in turn affect other species
such as predatory birds. Also small patch size may not
be able to support the range of habitat structure needed
to sustain a range of different species.
CHANGES TO NATURAL PROCESSES
Groundwater regimes changes in the groundwater

regime may adversely affect habitats dependent
on the water table (e.g. marsh, fen and bog).
Depending on the geology, lowering the water table
can impact habitats a considerable distance from the
development (this may also affect downstream human
communities).
Stream/river flows increases or reductions in natural
rates of flow. Accumulation of construction spoil can
alter flow, volume and composition of the water (e.g.
increased solids increase turbidity, which can cause
abrasion damage and gill blockage in fish and lead to
the disappearance of filter feeding invertebrates).
Soil leaching and changes in soil structure.
Soil erosion patterns.
POLLUTION
Water pollution from spillages this may lead to

adverse changes in aquatic biodiversity, as can changes
in sediment and solid loads in watercourses.
Emissions of pollutants to atmosphere (e.g. NOx,
SO2, dust, etc.) can affect biodiversity either directly
(e.g. dust can smother and suffocate plants) or via
secondary impacts such as changes in soil and surface
water chemistry following the washout of air-borne
pollutants.
DISTURBANCE
Fauna can be disturbed by noise, lighting and

vibrations from either construction or operation
activities.
Introducing non-native invasive species can also cause
significant and long-term disturbance to a habitat and
other species. This can happen either intentionally
(e.g. by planting non-native invasives in restoration),
or unintentionally (e.g. by bringing non-native
invasives onto a site on equipment used elsewhere).
Social changes induced by the project may result in

long-term impacts on biodiversity that may be more
significant than the actual footprint of the project itself.
Secondary social impacts can take many forms, but the
most common among them include:
Access to new areas: Building roads or pipelines into
areas that have previously been inaccessible for
development can facilitate access for settlement,
logging and hunting, increasing pressures on natural
resources.
Immigration/new settlements: A high demand for labor,
the prospect of new economic opportunities, and new
infrastructure often lead to a significant population
increase in the area surrounding an oil or gas
operation. This will in turn increase the pressure on
land, water, wildlife and other natural resources, and
the new settlements may remain in the area after oil or
gas extraction has ceased.
3.8.4 Assessing impacts
It is essential that the criteria by which impact
significance is judged be clearly defined and set out
in the ESIA (unfortunately, this is often not done in
ESIAs, due to the apparent difficulty in determining
significance). Setting the criteria for what amounts to
high (major), medium (moderate) or low (minor)
magnitude impact for a particular project involves
deciding what amount of change is acceptable in that
case (sometimes referred to as the limits of acceptable
change). Ideally, these criteria will be derived from
appropriate objectives/targets for individual habitats
and species (e.g. targets set in national, regional or local
Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans [BSAPs]) and/or
from stakeholder engagement. Off-the-shelf criteria
definitions should not be encouraged.
Where there are no appropriate targets/nature
conservation objectives, specific criteria will need to
be developed on a case-by-case basis, based on expert
opinions. The following examples of criteria used to
assess significance are based on habitats and species:
ASSESSING IMPACTS TO HABITAT
Major negative impact: the proposal (either on its own or

together with other proposals) may adversely affect the
integrity of an area/region, by substantially changing
in the long term its ecological features, structures
and functions, across its whole area, that enable it
to sustain the habitat, complex of habitats and/or
population levels of species that makes it important.
19
The whole area can irreversibly change into a different

landscape.
Moderate negative impact: the area/regions integrity
will not be adversely affected in the long term, but the
effect on the site is likely to be significant in the short
to medium term to some, but not all, of its ecological
features, structures and functions. The area/region
may be able to recover through natural regeneration
and restoration to its state at the time of the baseline
study.
Minor negative impact: neither of the above applies,
but some minor impacts of limited extent, or to some
elements of the area, are evident but easy to recover
through natural regeneration.
Positive impact: examples include a mitigation
package where previously fragmented areas were
united through habitat creation work (the concept of
connectivity), or the appropriate use of design features
such as ditches, hedges, scrub, linear woodland,
grassland, large wetlands or small ponds to create
microhabitats. Many such improvements, while being
very useful, will not provide a significant gain to the
biodiversity interest within the natural area these
should be assessed as minor positive. However,
where a significant net gain is evident (determined
through stakeholder engagement), the features should
be assessed as either intermediate positive or major
positive (if, for example, the net gain is of national
importance). It should be noted that, if not properly
designed, what appears to be a positive impact in the
short term can lead to longer-term impacts that may be
more damaging.
the long-term integrity of that population or any

population dependent on it. The size, and cumulative
character, of the consequence is also important. A
Moderate Impact multiplied over a wide area would be
regarded as a Major Impact. A short-term effect upon
the well-being of resource users may also constitute a
moderate impact.
A low magnitude impact on a species affects a specific
group of localized individuals within a population over
a short time period (one generation or less), but does
not affect other levels or the population itself.
It is also important to look at a holistic level to assess
whether the project will affect the achievement of the
aims of any BSAPs (which could be at an international,
national or local level and cover a species or an
ecosystem/habitat). Such an assessment may also
identify opportunities for the project team to contribute
in a positive manner to the achievement of the aims.
Engagement with key stakeholders is vital in determining
significance, as many of the ecological functions that
make an ecosystem or species important are related
to the environmental, economic or cultural values and
services of that ecosystem or species. Thus, involving
stakeholders in determining significance can help ensure
the mitigation measures address those impacts that are
important to people, as well as those that are important
for the environment.
It should be noted that a moderate or low-magnitude
impact to a species may be regarded as a high-magnitude
impact on a genetic level, if a distinct or isolated
subspecies, population or geographical variant is
significantly affected by a project.
ASSESSING IMPACTS TO SPECIES
A high magnitude impact on a species affects an entire

population or species in sufficient magnitude to cause
a decline in abundance and /or change in distribution
beyond which natural recruitment (reproduction,
immigration from unaffected areas) would not return
that population or species, or any population or
species dependent upon it, to its former level within
several generations, or when there is no possibility of
recovery. A major impact may also affect a subsistence
or commercial resource use to the degree that the wellbeing of the user is affected over the long term.
A moderate magnitude impact on a species affects a
portion of a population and may bring about a decline
in abundance and/or a reduction in the distribution
over one or more generations, but does not threaten
20
3.9 DEVELOPMENT OF MITIGATION OPTIONS

AND IMPLEMENTATION
Based on a thorough impact evaluation, the hierarchy
of avoid reduce remedy compensate provides the
framework for developing a checklist of mitigation
options. The purpose of mitigation is to identify
measures that safeguard the environment and the
community affected by the proposal. Mitigation is both a
creative and practical phase of the ESIA process. It seeks
to find the best ways and means of avoiding, minimizing
and remedying impacts. Mitigation measures must be
translated into action in the correct way and at the right
time if they are to be successful. This process is referred
to as impact management and takes place during project
implementation. A written plan should be prepared for

this purpose, and includes a schedule of agreed actions.
The objectives of mitigation are to:
Find better ways of doing things.
Facilitate the environmental and social benefits of a
proposal.
Avoid, reduce or remedy adverse impacts.
Ensure that residual adverse impacts are acceptable.
Examples of how these objectives may be achieved
include:
Avoid at source or reduce at source: Avoid locating
facilities in sensitive environments; reduce land-take
to minimum practicable. Source materials that have
been sustainably harvested. Maintain intact habitat.
Abate on site: Develop and implement actions within the
facility EMS to manage the site for biodiversity (create
habitats, identify species of interest and minimize
disturbance during construction and maintenance,
etc.). Treat waste to ensure it is of a standard that will
not adversely affect biodiversity.
Repair or remedy: Restore impacted areas using native
species and in ways that are compatible with local
ecology.
Compensate in kind or compensate through other means:
Offset impacts by creating or managing habitat for
impacted areas. Note that offsets should ideally be
agreed with stakeholders and created before a habitat
is initially impacted upon. In some countries, the law
requires this approach.
Further information on avoiding or minimizing impacts

can be found in Good Practice in the Prevention and
Mitigation of Primary and Secondary Biodiversity
Impacts. Further information on types of measures
that might also be considered for use as compensatory
measures can be found in Opportunities for
Benefiting Biodiversity Conservation.
they will often be subject to formal or informal

assessment monitoring as part of license or other
conditions for mitigation. Here, as elsewhere in the ESIA
process, biodiversity considerations on the ground may
be dealt with through the use of contractors. Therefore, it
is important that legal agreements with contractors, and
other parties in joint ventures, specify the expectations
and standards to be attached to biodiversity-based
mitigation.
Several choices of mitigation measures exist for most
effects. Almost any effect can be mitigated and will
require the participation of one or more entities.
Because such choices exist, selection of actual measures
should consider the present and future equity of
impacts, and who benefits from the measure. For
example, a mitigation measure might be implemented
that will benefit a local community in the short term,
but have potential long-term adverse effects on future
generations. Social mitigation measures may be viewed
as a social investment. Such investment may lead to
increased cooperation between stakeholders and project
proponents, in addition to potentially reducing risks.
However, as with any mitigation measure, government
and regulatory agency concurrence may be important,
especially in cases when one of the project partners
is a government and a stakeholder in the long-term
success of the measure. It is desirable to have full
company management support of mitigation measures.
Management support facilitates integration of mitigation
efforts as part of daily management expectations. It also
provides the support for funding and implementation
programs and encourages active assessment and change
as appropriate. Use of public relations to publicize and/or
promote the measures may also benefit the project
proponent by raising awareness of the positive effects of
the measure.
Secondary biodiversity impacts may be difficult to
address. Early and active involvement of stakeholders is
key and companies may wish to consider promoting or
participating in a regional planning exercise or strategic
impact assessment within which biodiversity issues
are explicitly integrated. Such exercises may be led by
government or the project but should engage and involve
all levels of stakeholders. Regional plans can promote
conservation and address issues of infrastructure, access,
immigration and resulting exploitation of resources in
ways that an ESIA for the project alone cannot.
In terms of the project lifecycle, biodiversity mitigation

issues may come up repeatedly. As they are in effect a
trade-off between pre-existing and amended conditions,
21
3.10 MONITORING AND ADAPTATION

Although continuous monitoring may not be required,
it is necessary to monitor impacts on biodiversity at
relevant stages throughout the life of a project. By
systematically comparing and assessing changes to
biodiversity against baseline data, companies can
evaluate their level of impact and adapt their behavior
accordingly. Monitoring also allows companies to check
on the implementation of the terms and conditions
of approval during the construction and operation
phases; to monitor the impacts of the project and the
effectiveness of mitigation measures; to take any actions
necessary to ameliorate problems; and, as required, to
undertake audit and evaluation to strengthen future ESIA
applications.
Historically, standard ESIAs have paid relatively little
attention to the impacts that end up actually occurring
during project construction and operation, after the
ESIA analysis is completed. Without appropriate
implementation and follow-up to decision-making, ESIA
becomes a paper exercise to secure an approval, rather
than a practical exercise to achieve environmental and
biodiversity benefits (see Section 3.9).
The purpose of ESIA implementation and follow-up is to
ensure that the conditions attached to project approval
are carried out and function effectively, and to gain
information that can be used to improve ESIA practice
in the future. By itself, this process cannot turn around
an environmentally unsound project. However, it is
critical to maximize the returns from the preparation
of the ESIA report and its consideration in decisionmaking. ESIA implementation and follow up allow the
measures and conditions attached to project approval
to be fine tuned in the light of new information. When
used systematically, they facilitate impact management;
build continuity into the ESIA process and help to
optimize environmental benefits at each stage of project
development.
Biodiversity monitoring programs enable the accuracy
of the impact predictions and the degree of success of
mitigation measures to be evaluated. This is particularly
important where uncertainty exists (e.g. in the prediction
of impacts and availability of baseline data). Monitoring
also allows post-development problems to be identified
and rectified. It is important that the monitoring
program is well-structured and includes monitoring at
each of the project stages. Standard techniques/methods
of data collection and quality control mechanisms should
be used so that the data can be used for comparative
22
purposes, both over time for the project at hand and with
other projects elsewhere as appropriate. In accordance
with best practice, the biodiversity data collected for
the ESIA and any subsequent monitoring should be
made publicly available to provide opportunities to link
into the national planning and nature conservation
management processes.
The range of monitoring options available for assessing
biodiversity change varies among different species,
habitats and groups, with many methodologies tailored to
particular circumstances. Common to all is the recurrent
use of indicators, which are typically used to summarize
trends in particular habitats or species, and act as
warning lights of adverse as well as positive trends. They
are key to undertaking adaptive management.
Further information on indicators and monitoring can

be found in Biodiversity Indicators for Monitoring
Impacts and Conservation Actions.
As noted earlier, throughout the ESIA process and the

project lifecycle, there are clear needs for consultation
and the use of outside skills and resources. Monitoring
provides one of the best opportunities for involvement
with other stakeholders, and in particular the
development of partnerships. Much of the reference
and contextual data needed for biodiversity assessment
is gathered and held by voluntary and statutory bodies.
These provide much-needed sources of expertise
and advice, suitable for incorporation into decisionmaking. Also, they offer the chance to work in the wider
biodiversity sphere, including possible options beyond
the standard confines of the mitigation process.
3.11 CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
ASSOCIATED WITH DIVESTITURE
Unless appropriately planned for, the termination of
company operations may result in a termination of
valuable or necessary biodiversity conservation activities.
This can have potentially significant adverse impacts on
biodiversity, as well as on company reputation, long after
termination of active oil and gas operations. Therefore,
companies should consider addressing biodiversity
issues at end point divestiture in their operational plans
and through ESIA procedures. The different ways in
which operating interests can be transferred, depending
on the specifics of the project and legal agreements,
mean that the company divesting may have considerable
flexibility to encourage or even mandate conditions or
commitments to be maintained by its legal successor

or none at all. It may be possible to put into place
mechanisms to sustain biodiversity conservation efforts
that are self-funding or funded by other organizations
after the company has left. Ideally, this approach should
also be considered as an option from the outset, not
only on departure. Longer-term sharing of objectives
and outcomes may enhance the entire process. Ideally,
company planning for such mechanisms will begin well
before exit.
Companies that expect to and do make significant
commitments to biodiversity conservation during
the tenure of their operating role are encouraged to
pursue creative options to encourage continuity and
maintenance of those commitments and investments
after their departure. Some possibilities that companies
might consider would include:
Negotiating relevant language as part of the underlying
host government agreements that would encourage/
commit government to maintain implementation

of environmental protection activities, including
biodiversity conservation, after any transfer of
operatorship.
Negotiating relevant language directly with other
partner companies in the joint venture (if any) and/or
with the company that is acquiring the assets/interest
being divested.
Implementing biodiversity conservation measures
through financial and legal mechanisms (such as intergovernmental agreements, trust funds, etc.) that will
be self-sufficient and self-financing and not subject to
impairment as a result of a change in operatorship.
Provision of baseline and subsequent biodiversity
monitoring data and methodologies to follow-on
companies, to help provide continuity in biodiversity
assessment and decision-making post divestiture.
23
APPENDIX 1. BIODIVERSITY STATUS REPORT FORM
This form lists possible considerations for establishing

a preliminary baseline assessment of one or more sites
potentially impacted by existing or planned operations.
However, it is not a replacement for a more formal
biodiversity survey, which may be warranted if impacts
appear to be significant and of high magnitude. At the
corporate level, a general status report summarizing
biodiversity challenges in areas where the company
operates may be useful, both for making priorities at the
corporate level and for reporting purposes
Further information on the need for baseline surveys

can be found in Section 4.4 of Biodiversity Indicators
for Monitoring Impacts and Conservation Actions.
Access:
Closed, open for the public are there other temporary,

transient or permanent non-company sources of impacts
present on the site or in the concession area?
Does any land-use restriction apply:
Description, reference to legislation note if this is

considered likely to change.
See International Conventions and Framework for
Integrating Biodiversity into the Site Selection
Process.
EIA performed for the activities on the site/not

performed:
Refer to documents, note main findings and conclusions.

Site description:
Location, map if possible annotate with known

biodiverse areas, urban areas, other industrial operations
as appropriate.
Environmental Management Plan does/does not

exist:
Refer to document, note key elements, justify any

absence of an EMP.
Land/water possession relations:
Define land/waters owned by company, private land/

waters with sub-surface installations such as pipelines
and public land/waters.
Does the activity influence any protected areas:
Activities/installations:
Occurrence of habitats with high biodiversity

potential/sensitive habitats or biotopes:
Refinery, pipelines, drilling site, access roads, traffic,

noise, emissions, production site where appropriate for
planned or existing operations note possible alternative
sites.
Type of protection, legislation, responsible authority,

management practices.
Description; wetlands, estuaries, deltas, rainforest,

coastal areas, mangroves, etc.
History and future plans:
Installation period: When was the operation built

consider the implications for biodiversity?
Operation since-to: Define period of potential operational
impacts.
Decommissioning: Planned or executed already how has
biodiversity been affected?
Occurrence of red-listed/endemic/vulnerable
species:
Species, status, legislation, when and how the species

use the area.
24
Have any baseline biodiversity surveys been

performed:
Type of surveys, year, refer to documentation,

responsible person/organization, main findings.
Can any damaged areas be restored/

reconstructed elsewhere, have mitigating or
compensating measures been evaluated or
implemented:
Description.

See Opportunities for Benefiting Biodiversity

Conservation.
Have the local authorities/NGOs, local biodiversity

action plans been consulted:
At decommissioning: can the site be restored

leaving the property in a condition suitable for
its next intended use (e.g. industrial residential,
recreational, conservation):
Who, when, what are the major outcomes of

consultations.
Are the biodiversity values in the area well known/
are additional data needed?
Identify any potential gaps in data and assess how these

might be filled.
Have the activities affected/destroyed any
sensitive habitats:
Description, map.
Description of plan and obstacles that may need to be

overcome.
Monitoring:
Purpose, description, refer to ongoing programs, plans

for future monitoring surveys.
Do the activities disturb the wildlife/flora:
Noise, dust, traffic, increased human activity in the

area, erosion, changed land-use, permanent/seasonal
influence, influence area.
Have other efforts that could have additional

benefits for biodiversity been made/evaluated:
Does the activity pose any risk by introduction of

new species:
See Opportunities for Benefiting Biodiversity

Conservation.
Purpose, description.
Discharge of ballast water, transfer of soil from off-site,

etc.
Biodiversity targets for the area:
See Good Practice in the Prevention and

Impacts.
Description, refer to management system, management

plans.
Does the activity pose any risk of pollution/

discharge that might affect biodiversity:
Description, duration of activity, degradability of

pollutant.
See Good Practice in the Prevention and

Impacts.
25

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Integrating Biodiversity into

Environmental and Social

The Energy & Biodiversity Initiative

USING THIS DOCUMENT ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Standard ESIAs and biodiversity ......................................................................................................................................................... 6

INTEGRATION OF BIODIVERSITY INTO THE ESIA PROCESS...........................................................................................................................10

Stakeholder engagement on biodiversity issues ................................................................................................................................12

Estimation of secondary and cumulative impacts ............................................................................................................................. 13

Identification of alternatives ...................................................................................................................................................................14

Baseline establishment .............................................................................................................................................................................16

Evaluation (impact analysis)....................................................................................................................................................................16

Impact levels ...............................................................................................................................................................................18

Potential impacts .......................................................................................................................................................................18

Development of mitigation options and implementation................................................................................................................20

Monitoring and adaptation .....................................................................................................................................................................22

Challenges and opportunities associated with divestiture .............................................................................................................22

APPENDIX 1. Biodiversity Status Report ......................................................................................................................................................................24

photo credit: Jeff Gale

The principal purpose of this document is to offer

Suggestions are made for the integration of biodiversity

In some cases, the government rather than the

Stakeholder engagement and the estimation of secondary

The Energy & Biodiversity Initiative

Finally, the issue of divestiture is addressed: unless

1. USING THIS DOCUMENT

This document is primarily aimed at Health, Safety

In some cases, the government, rather than the

It is important to recognize that there are a number of

FIGURE 1. THE LIFECYCLE OF UPSTREAM OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS1

Integrating Biodiversity into Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Processes

the management of biodiversity issues. Furthermore,

The Energy & Biodiversity Initiative

PLEASE SEND COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS

key models for corporate and/or project Environmental

Atkinson, S., Bhatia, S., Schoolmaster, F.A. and

Integrating Biodiversity into Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Processes

2.2 STANDARD ESIAS AND BIODIVERSITY

See Integrating Biodiversity into Environmental

It might be argued that a standard ESIA already

FIGURE 2. OVERVIEW OF THE PRINCIPAL STAGES OF AN ESIA RELEVANT TO BIODIVERSITY

Evaluation (impact analysis)

NOTE: It is important to remember that the

Monitoring & adaption

Challenges & opportunities

The Energy & Biodiversity Initiative

ESTIMATION OF SECONDARY AND CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ON BIODIVERSITY ISSUES

TABLE 1. EXAMPLES OF POTENTIAL PRIMARY BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS2

POTENTIAL BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS

Footprint impacts to habitats/flora

Temporary and permanent loss of habitat and component

Disturbance to sediment, benthic fauna and other seabed

Long-term landtake effects on ecology

Loss of seabed habitat

Integrating Biodiversity into Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Processes

Secondary impacts (i.e. those that do not result

Different stakeholder perspectives as to what

Resource use to supply development and operational

The significance of biodiversity for peoples livelihoods