How Development Has Affected Biodiversity?

Biodiversity is the diversity of life on Earth. It concerns the diversity of ecosystems, species and genes and also encompasses the relationships and interactions between all these organisms and their living environments.

Biodiversity is essential for human survival. Healthy biodiversity helps fight the effects of climate change. Beyond these aspects, biodiversity is necessary for human "well-being": through the presence of nature, aesthetic pleasure, cultural or educational contribution, it contributes to the quality of our living environment.

The degradation and destruction of many ecosystems in the world has accelerated the environmental crisis due to the rapid reduction of the multiple environmental services provided by ecosystems, such as biodiversity.

The rates of destruction of all ecosystems continue to occur rapidly, due to unsustainable agricultural, livestock, industrial and exploitation practices, with the aggravation that many ecosystems will have unfavourable variations for humanity with global climate change.

Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR) should be prepared by every developer and the impact on biodiversity must be taken into account at each stage of a development, construction or renovation, with solutions adapted to the specificities of each project.

There are indeed no unique solutions, they must be identified on a case-by-case basis depending on the context and in consultation with the various actors of the project. On the other hand, there is a “methodology” which can be applied in each case:

• The choice of the site is decisive, and if it is possible, it is preferable to build on a plot of low ecological value.

• An ecological diagnosis is essential to fully understand the characteristics of the site, integrate the project into its environment as well as possible and thus limit its impact.

• The footprint must be reduced as much as possible in order to preserve the soil and attempt to recreate ecosystems to compensate for those which have been destroyed. One of the objectives is to ensure that the envelope and the exterior fittings become places of reception and life for biodiversity and not sources of danger.

• The existing biodiversity should be preserved during the construction phase. This requires planning this step through an environmental site organization plan (installation areas, intervention planning, management of pollution, soil, risks for wildlife, etc.).

Better consideration of biodiversity, in particular ordinary nature, the functioning of ecosystems and the green and blue network reinforces the requirements on impact studies and compensatory measures in development projects and in documents relating to the environment.

This requires having sufficient and relevant environmental data to assess the impacts of a project.

To reduce the impact of developmental activities on biodiversity and to have the complete information about which species of flora and fauna will be affected by the proposed development, Biodiversity Development Assessment Reports (BDAR) and Biodiversity Stewardship Site Assessment Reports (BSSAR) are needed to be submitted by the developer.

These reports tell the relevant authorities all the details about the development that is to be carried out and its impact. Along with this, the reports also mention how the developer will reduce this impact and avoid harming the environment.