The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) is running a workshop on Biodiversity Offsets for Mining in conjunction with The Chamber of Mines of South Africa's Mining for Sustainable Development conference in November 2005. The objective of the workshop is to obtain views from different stakeholders regarding the practical implementation of biodiversity offsets. Offsets offer companies a means of ensuring continued access to resources, securing licence to operate and (given the increasing interest from investors in offsets for risk management purposes) continued access to finance. For governments, biodiversity offsets may help to ensure that commitments such as those under the Millennium Development Goals and the Convention on Biological Diversity are met. For environmental groups offsets can potentially achieve greater conservation value for money. If designed appropriately, they may also confer livelihood and health benefits.
