LIVE on Wednesday 13 December at 15:00 GMT - BNG is coming to town(s): Is England ready for biodiversity net gain?

ENDS TV: It's beginning to look a lot like...BNG implementation, but are environmental professionals ready? Join this live ENDS webinar, where we examine the issues you can expect to arise in the first six months of biodiversity net gain coming into force, the threat of ‘phantom habitats’, and the impact of net gain on the natural capital market.

The requirement for developers to deliver a minimum 10% biodiversity net gain on most new developments is set to become mandatory in January 2024, with the government describing the policy as a way of making sure that wildlife habitats are in a better state than they were before development.

The issue of how hundreds of thousands of new homes can be built without further undermining crucial natural ecosystems has already become a political hot potato, as seen in recent nutrient neutrality rows, and the pressure is high on biodiversity net gain policy to work.

However, it has already faced obstacles. Recent delays to the BNG implementation date proved a heart in the mouth moment for many impacted by the mechanism, and concerns remain across the environmental sector over what some see as a flimsy enforcement mechanism which they say poses a significant risk of greenwashing and ‘phantom habitats’. There are fears, too, that local planning authorities lack the capacity to manage the anticipated increase in workload.

With just weeks to the duty becoming law, this ENDS Report webinar will delve into the questions that remain just weeks out from the expected implementation date, what environmental professionals need to be prepared for, and what impact BNG will have on natural capital markets. We will hear from a range of informed speakers, including Nick White, Natural England’s principal advisor for biodiversity net gain, Jessica Lewis, group head of sustainable places at the Berkeley Group, and other expert speakers to be announced.

When? Wednesday 13th December, 3 - 4pm


How do I watch this LIVE?


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We will discuss…

  • The latest BNG guidance issued from government 

  • How ‘going beyond’ 10% BNG works in practice

  • Issues to be ready for in the first 6 months of BNG becoming law

  • The extent of engagement from private natural capital markets


SPEAKERS


Confirmed

Tess Colley, ENDS Report features editor (host)

Lucy Cheeseman, deputy head of land use and head of biodiversity net gain, DEFRA 

Nick White, principal advisor for biodiversity net gain, Natural England

Jessica Lewis, group head of sustainable places, Berkeley Group