COMBO: Compensating damage to ecosystems and biodiversity

The project is part of an international program in four African countries –  Madagascar, Guinea, Mozambique, Uganda – targeted due to the remarkable biodiversity they harbor and the growth experienced by their economic sectors with strong environmental impacts. 
It aims to define an institutional framework and offsetting mechanisms aiming at “no net loss of biodiversity”, while generating additional funds for its conservation.
 

The project is based on five components:

• Development of the policy framework to introduce ecological offsetting mechanisms adapted to the national context: analysis and optimization of the legal and institutional framework to ensure full compliance with the hierarchy of mitigation, and the introduction of ecological offsetting mechanisms adapted to the national context.
• Mapping and measuring ecological data to plan the offsetting: analysis of ecological information systems, creation of measurement, analysis and prioritization tools targeting no net loss of biodiversity and national capacity building.
• Securing offsetting measures for the long term: development of legal and financial tools for the proper implementation of mitigation and compensation measures.
• Gaining the interest of the private sector, catalyzing its initiatives and capitalizing on the lessons to be learned from its initiatives.
• Building capacities and capitalization. Raise awareness of stakeholders via visits and the dissemination of results.
   

• An incentive-based policy framework for investments aims to achieve no net loss, in line with best practices for the mitigation of impacts on biodiversity, is developed in each country in 2018;
• Companies in sectors with a potential strong impact on biodiversity are sensitized and their initiatives to mitigate impacts are monitored, documented and evaluated in 2018.