About the Biodiversity Offsets Newsweek
If you are interested in environmental compensation and biodiversity offsets, there are certainly good news: there is now a whole bunch of information from different sources, 
locations and viewpoints publicly available (something which wasn’t this easy only a couple of years ago). Now, as has been pointed out (see here) the Biodiversity Offsets Blog aims to compile and somewhat structure this information. But there is not only a wealth of sources already out there on the internet, but also new sources are continuously being added. I am following and collecting the news via Scoop.it and cover the most trending ones in posts on the Biodiversity Offsets Blog. Nevertheless, not all news can be covered (at least not yet) and therefore the “Biodiversity Offsets Newsweek” will list up the headlines of the past week, together with the links and PDFs of the articles or news (the latter to prevent to loose information — as we know, that unfortunately every now and then things are being removed from the internet).
This week: October 13–19, 2014
This week (September October 6–12, 2014) were the last days of the public consultation of the European Commission on the planned No Net Loss Initiative (see my previous post). For this reason I have prepared a short-run series on the EU No Net Loss consultation laying down some arguments for and against this initiative. Some of the counter arguments are also found in a letter to the European Commission to ditch biodiversity offsetting (see below) which has been prepared by several environmental NGOs who fear that biodiversity offsets could rather weaken than strenghten current environmental protection legislation. Interestingly, a policy brief entitled “Getting Biodiversity Offsets right” was published in Canada, which builds on a recent study of Canadian Conservation Offset Programs. Apart from that, there were some more news on the new Biodiversity Offsetting agreement in South Africa and some offset examples from the US.
EU consultation on the planned No Net Loss Initiative
Thousands urge European Commission to ditch biodiversity offsetting, October 17, 2014, by Economic Voice
Thousands urge European Commission to ditch biodiversity offsetting, October 15, 2014, by FERN
Thousands urge European Commission to ditch biodiversity offsetting, October 17, 2014, by Kevin Smith
Biodiversity Offsets in Canada
Getting Biodiversity Offsets Right. A Research Agenda for Canada, October 15, 2014, by Sustainable Prosperity
Agenda for Biodiversity Offsets in Canada_Policy brief_Oct 2014
A Study of Canadian Conservation Offset Programs. Lessons Learned from a Review of Programs, Analysis of Stakeholder Perceptions, and Investigation of Transactions Costs, October 14, 2014, by Sustainable Prosperity
Noga and Adamowicz_2014_A study on Canadian conservation offset programs
‘Habitat banking’: BC’s newest buzzword? October 13, 2014, by Bob Mackin
Newsweek 13–19 October 2014_’Habitat banking’_ BC’s newest buzzword
New Biodiversity Offsetting agreement in South Africa
Historic Biodiversity Offset Agreement signed, October 14, 2014, by Algoa.fm
Newsweek 13–19 October 2014_Historic Biodiversity Offset Agreement signed_Algoa.fm
Old African Fortress Inspires New Deal, October 15, 2014, by Leon Marshall
Newsweek 13–19 October 2014_Old African Fortress Inspires New Deal
Biodiversity offsets in the US
Oxbow island added to Black River Preserve, October 14, 2014, by Bo Petersen
Newsweek 13–19 October 2014_Oxbow island added to Black River Preserve
Tree planting project at corps parks could start in November, October 18, by Jeff Gill
Newsweek 13–19 October 2014_Tree planting project at corps park could start in November
Other biodiversity offsets news
Valuing natural capital helps companies make better business decisions, October 15, by Gemma Cranston
Can you reduce environmental impacts of business within a budget? — play the game, October 15, 2014
Environmental groups welcome new global commitments to fund biodiversity conservation, October 17, 2014, by Martin Fowlie