Biodiversity credits: what they are and how they work

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Biodiversity is fundamental for climate resilience and ecosystem stability. Besides its intrinsic value, it has a significant economic impact: pollination, for example, supports 75% of the world's crops, ensuring food security. Species-rich ecosystems are more resilient to extreme events and the invasion of alien species, which are increasingly frequent due to climate change. The loss of biodiversity is one of the most urgent challenges to address today, on par with global warming. In 2022, COP 15 established international targets for biodiversity protection, followed by the EU Nature Restoration Law, which aims to restore 20% of land and marine areas by 2030. Biodiversity is thus an increasingly central issue even for institutions, which recognize the urgency of action in this field.

A biodiversity credit is a certification that certifies and quantifies the improvement of biodiversity in a specific area. This improvement must be based on concrete, durable, and additional evidence compared to what would have happened in the absence of the specific intervention. A biodiversity credit corresponds to the equivalent of 0.1 hectares (1,000 m²) of full ecological regeneration. Biodiversity credits must meet strict criteria to ensure a real, measurable, and lasting impact.

Biodiversity credits allow companies to concretely contribute to the conservation of ecosystems and the achievement of global biodiversity targets. They support commitments related to the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the Nature Restoration Law (NRL), mitigating the risks associated with biodiversity loss. Additionally, they generate a positive impact at the local level through conservation and restoration projects. Each certified and tracked biodiversity credit can be used by companies to offset their impact and be integrated into their biodiversity strategy.

Biodiversity credits are generated through a process that involves a series of well-defined phases:

1. Assessment and design: each biodiversity credit originates from a certified project. Project developers assess the area, define interventions to improve biodiversity, and obtain initial validation from a third-party entity, ensuring scientific solidity.
2. Implementation and monitoring: the project is monitored to verify that the interventions have a measurable positive impact. An independent entity conducts a post-verification to ensure improvements are tangible and align with objectives.
3. Issuance of credits: after verification, the credits are officially generated and certified with a unique code.
4. Use of credits: companies use the credits to offset their impact on biodiversity, integrating them into their environmental strategy.

XNatura represents a strategic choice for companies that want to integrate biodiversity credits into their environmental strategy. XNatura is in fact the only company funded by the European Union for the development of biodiversity credits through a scalable and scientific framework. Biodiversity credits are generated through projects that are easily integrated into business strategies, making the process smooth and reducing operational complexity. Finally, these credits come from high-quality projects, based on a scientific approach and constantly monitored thanks to advanced technologies. With XNatura, companies can track every stage of the project, accessing detailed data and measurable KPIs directly from the platform, having a clear and constant view of the impact generated.

This article was created as part of the "Biodiversity services EU expansion" project (CUP: E43D22000480009), funded by the Lombardy Region call "PR FESR 2021-2027 - LINEA INTERNAZIONALIZZAZIONE 21-27", aimed at supporting the internationalization of Italian companies. 3Bee is the naturetech company that develops innovative technologies for monitoring, protecting, and regenerating biodiversity, supporting companies in defining personalized climate strategies based on the analysis of their impacts and dependencies on nature. With a consolidated portfolio in Italy, Germany, and France and significant partnerships, 3Bee continues its expansion into international markets to create a concrete impact through technology.