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BBOP Pilot Project Case Study – Ambatovy Project
7. The Offset Design Process
7.1 Guidance and methodologies used
The Ambatovy biodiversity offset programme has been developed as an iterative process calling upon BBOP
principles and guidance. Additional inputs towards the development of the Project’s offset programme came
from a number of recent good practice guides, including
Good Practice Guidance for Mining and Biodiversity
(International Council on Mining and Metals 2006),
Planning for Integrated Mine Closure: Toolkit
(International
Council on Mining and Metals 2008),
Performance Standard 6: Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable
Natural Resource Management
(International Finance Corporation 2006) and Biodiversity Offsets: Views,
Experience, and the Business Case (ten Kate
et al
. 2004).
The BBOP guidance supports the development of either single or
COMPOSITE OFFSET
sites to compensate for
residual impacts on biodiversity. The Ambatovy offsets programme is multifaceted because it is a large project
with many components (see Section 3.2). While the design and implementation of the several components of
the Ambatovy offset programme has progressed, the predicted conservation outcomes from these various
offset components have not yet been fully calculated. Meanwhile, Ambatovy has focused on its proposed
Ankerana offset as the most significant component of its offset. The proposed Ankerana offset design is
based on the guidance in the draft BBOP Biodiversity Offset Design Handbook revised in December 2008
(available at
). However, the high
degree of social sensitivity around Ankerana has led the project to undertake community involvement before
the planned biodiversity assessment at the site.
7.2 Roles and responsibility
The Ambatovy offset programme is designed, implemented and financially supported by the Ambatovy
Project. The offset commitment was reiterated by Sherritt Incorporated, the Project’s operator, in November
2008 during a clarification meeting with the BBOP Secretariat and representatives of Forest Trends, CI and
WCS. The offset programme is managed and monitored by the Project’s environmental department. Since
Ambatovy became a BBOP Pilot Project, the BBOP Secretariat and members of the BBOP Advisory
Committee have also monitored progress. Senior Project representatives attend all BBOP meetings and
provide updates and feedback to the BBOP Secretariat. The Project’s BBOP team includes:
A focal point (Pierre O. Berner, Environmental Director, Ambatovy Project);
A full time consultant responsible for supporting the offset programme management implementation
(Steven Dickinson of Golder Associates / Ambatovy Project);
An ecological assessment consultant responsible for the benchmark, loss and gain calculations (Aristide
Andrianarimisa of WCS); and
Environmental superintendent (monsieur Alphonse) leading a technical environmental and social field team
responsible for social and environmental management at the proposed Ankerana offset site. This team led
consultations with local stakeholders, including local communities, local forestry and police authorities and
local NGOs. A legal team is supporting the superintendent to ensure the legal protection status of the
Ankerana site.
