Social impact

This report first reviews the available methods, tools and approaches that have been designed to assess and document the social impacts of conservation interventions, and second, offers guidance for practitioners on good practice for designing studies and facilitating processes for such assessments. The focus of this report is on tools that can be used for assessing ex post impacts – i.e. after commencement of intervention – whilst recognising that good project design incorporates social impact assessment activities from the outset.

Development projects worldwide are increasingly required to quantify and fully mitigate their impacts on biodiversity, with an objective of achieving ‘no net loss’ or a ‘net gain’ (NNL/NG) of biodiversity overall. Seeking NNL/NG outcomes can affect people because society relies on, uses and values biodiversity.

On 5 November 2015, a large dam containing 52 million m3 of iron mining residues (tailings) collapsed in Mariana, Brazil. The collapse prompted both an emergency response, including assistance and compensation to affected people, and a short- and long-term set of mitigation measures structured in 42 programmes. These actions, determined by a group of government agencies, aim to restore and enhance the environmental quality and well-being of the affected populations. Requirements and guidelines for mitigation were established.

On 5 November 2015, a large dam containing 52 million m3 of iron mining residues (tailings) collapsed in Mariana, Brazil. The collapse prompted both an emergency response, including assistance and compensation to affected people, and a short- and long-term set of mitigation measures structured in 42 programmes. These actions, determined by a group of government agencies, aim to restore and enhance the environmental quality and well-being of the affected populations. Requirements and guidelines for mitigation were established.

Many organizations do amazing work and provide essential services that make an important, positive impact on the people they serve. But we live in a system oriented around activities and outputs, and this output orientation forces too many to spend too much time and effort complying with red tape, leaving no flexibility to innovate. Fortunately, we can do better. Orienting programs and funding around outcomes fundamentally changes this dynamic.

Biodiversity policies promote the protection, conservation, and sustainable use of biologically diverse ecosystems and habitats. In doing so, they create significant public benefits and contribute to social well-being. However, the implementation of biodiversity policies will often benefit different groups to a greater or lesser degree. Combining analysis and a wealth of case studies, this book offers concepts and tools for addressing distributive issues within a biodiversity policy context. 

This report offers a review of literature from various sources on the impacts of the production and use of liquid biofuels, which are used mainly in the transport sector. In 2009, Campbell and Doswald (2009) published a review similar to this one, focusing on the biodiversity impacts of biofuels, on behalf of UNEP-WCMC. This report reflects on the progress made since that review.

The impacts of oil palm plantations have been widely ignored, and given widespread promotion of these plantations throughout the tropics, the World Rainforest Movement decided to bring together research and local struggles in this book, aimed as a tool for action. Presented are three representative cases for each continent -- Cameroon, Ecuador and Indonesia -- as well as a general overview and examples from other countries. 

The aim of this research is to: 1) identify the negative impact of conservation policies implemented in living World Heritage sites on the social quality of traditional communities; 2) develop a design tool constraining spatial morphology to overcome the negative influences on the social quality The study leads to a new approach to conservation planning that takes into account sustaining social quality while enforcing UNESCO World Heritage conservation program.