Structuring Environmental Offsets for a Sustainable Advantage

By Tony van Merwyk, Simmon Daddo

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Formal offsets policy in many jurisdictions now provides that the environment will gain (or
suffer no net loss) from a proposal even if the proposal will result in “acceptable” adverse
environment impacts. In order for a proposal that will have impacts (even after all usual
mitigatory measures are taken) to be favourably assessed, it must specify what measures
will be put in place to ensure the environment is improved as a result of the development.