Biodiversity Conservation. An empirical analysis of the ways that developers in England are working to achieve Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG).

Overview

This is an opportunity to conduct fully funded interdisciplinary research under the Sustainable Transitions Leverhulme Doctoral Training Programme at the University of Essex.

The project provides the opportunity to analyse the contributions that businesses and governmental organizations are providing in relation to biodiversity conservation, by studying the ways that developers are applying the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) regulation applicable in England. This regulation, which has become mandatory since February 2024, affects some types of developers in England who, unless exempt, are required to provide a 10% increase in the biodiversity value of habitats within their development. This can be delivered by improving on-site habitats, off-site habitats, or by purchasing statutory biodiversity credits.

This project aims to investigate the impact that developers have on biodiversity loss and to assess whether their impact on biodiversity loss has improved after the enactment of the BNG regulation. The purpose of the study is therefore to evaluate the effectiveness of the regulation in limiting biodiversity loss and to identify the challenges developers face in implementing this regulation.

There is scope to approach this project from a number of different perspectives. This could include the use of quantitative methodologies, using a large sample of developers in England, quantitative methodologies, by focusing on a few local councils or planning authorities, and/or mixed methods.

Interdisciplinary focus

The interdisciplinary nature of the project lies in the understanding of the relationship between business practice and biodiversity, by synthesising concepts and methodologies from these disciplines.

The purpose of the project is to assess the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to biodiversity conservation by considering aspects of ecological (e.g. biodiversity monitoring practices, ecological informatics) and business relevance (e.g. non-financial reporting practices, accounting mechanisms, corporate governance structures).

Training and support

You will be supported through the Sustainable Transitions training programme which provides initial training in interdisciplinary research methods, training in the secondary discipline within the project area, and ongoing training throughout the duration of the programme. All doctoral scholars benefit from the support of Proficio, which entitles you to £2,500 that can be used to purchase training courses either within or external to the University.

Additionally, all scholars are entitled to an additional £10,000 that can be used to cover research costs and further training. Doctoral scholars are encouraged to audit/attend University masters and degree level courses where appropriate. You will also have the support of the Sustainable Transitions management team as well as your own supervisory team. All Sustainable Transitions scholars will become part of the University of Essex Centre for Environment and Society through which ongoing events and networking opportunities are available.

Person specification

This opportunity would suit a candidate with a degree/ background in accounting or business management. In particular, students who have studied corporate social responsibility at master's level may be well suited. It is not necessary for the candidate to have prior training in biodiversity as training can be provided on the programme. However, an active willingness to learn new methodologies outside the business/accounting domain would be essential.

Research proposal

The project area is broadly defined, leaving scope for the applicant to develop their own specific research proposal as part of the application. The successful candidate will further develop their proposal in close consultation with the supervisory team.

Supervision

The primary discipline supervisor takes the lead responsibility for supervising the project. For further detail relating to supervision see the Guidance for Applicants (.docx) document.

Additional background information

Biological diversity, or biodiversity, refers to the variety among living organisms from all sources including, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems as well as the ecological complexes they are part of. This encompasses diversity within species, between different species, and across ecosystems. A richer and more biodiverse environment ensures stability and prosperity for those who inhabit it, whether these are humans, animals or plants. More than 55% of global GDP, equal to USD 41.7 trillion, is dependent on high functioning biodiversity and the ecosystem services it supports.

Despite this importance, biodiversity is under threat. Biodiversity loss represents one of the most important challenges faced in our time. The World Wide Fund for Nature’s Living Planet Report 2022 documented an average reduction of 69% in the abundance of mammals, birds, reptiles, fishes and amphibians and of 83% in the population of vertebrates living in freshwater ecosystems. If these trends continue in the future, further losses of biodiversity are expected, with experts estimating that more than one-third of the existing species might be threatened or driven to extinction by 2100. Inaction on biodiversity loss cost up to USD 31 trillion per year in the period 1997-2011, and these costs are thought to have risen sharply in the last decade.

Because of its importance, biodiversity conservation has been at the centre of several international and national initiatives aimed at implementing actions to halt biodiversity loss. These include, among others, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in 2022 during the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15), the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the declaration of the period 2011-2020 to be the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity and the Convention on Biological Diversity. More limited initiatives to preserve biodiversity exist at national and local levels, including the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) regulation in England. Studying this initiative has the potential to provide important contributions to achieving sustainable development not only within England but also at the international level. It has the potential to provide important recommendations to the English government, but also to other national governments, on the initiatives that are needed to improve biodiversity conservation.

There is scope to approach this project from a number of different perspectives. This could include using a large sample of developers in England to evaluate the impact of the regulation on biodiversity conservation in the areas involved, using quantitative methodologies. Otherwise, the research question could be analysed by focusing on a few local councils and using a more qualitative approach to understand the challenges faced in achieving the BNG and implementing the regulation in light of ecological understanding. It could also involve the analysis of the challenges faced by local planning authorities in implementing the regulation and monitoring the progress made by developers in relation to BNG with reference to biodiversity outcomes.  The research questions can also be analysed using mixed methods that combine some of the approaches discussed above.

How to Apply

Full details available at Sustainable Transitions Leverhulme Doctoral Training Programme.

Supervisory team references

1. Gaia, S. and Jones, MJ., (2020). Biodiversity reporting for governmental organisations: Evidence from English local councils. Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal. 33 (1), 1-31
2. Gaia, S. and Jones, MJ., (2017). UK local councils reporting of biodiversity values: a stakeholder perspective. Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal. 30 (7), 1614-1638
3. Cuomo, F., Gaia, S., Girardone, C. and Piserà, S., (2022). The effects of the EU Non-Financial Reporting Directive on corporate social responsibility. The European Journal of Finance. 30 (7), 726-752
4. Wilkes, M.A., Carrivick, J.L., Castella, E., Ilg, C., Cauvy-Fraunié, S., Fell, S.C., Füreder, L., Huss, M., James, W., Lencioni, V. and Robinson, C., 2023. Glacier retreat reorganizes river habitats leaving refugia for Alpine invertebrate biodiversity poorly protected. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 7(6), pp.841-851.
5. Wilkes, M.A., Mungee, M., Naura, M., Bell, V.A. and Brown, L.E., 2024. Predicting nature recovery for river restoration planning and ecological assessment: A case study from England, 1991–2042. River Research and Applications. DOI: 10.1002/rra.4282