There are several options to find biodiversity credits to meet your credit obligations. The department maintains public registers and provides services to support proponents seeking to find and retire credits to meet their obligations.
Use the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme public registers
Available credits and credit holders can be found through the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme public registers.
If you are meeting a credit obligation, you will need to find the right type of like-for-like credits to offset your impacts. Where like-for-like credits cannot be secured, you may also be able to use the variation rules.
If you are meeting a credit obligation, you will need to find the right type of like-for-like credits to offset your impacts. Where like-for-like credits cannot be secured, you may also be able to use the variation rules.
Like-for-like credits and the variation rules
Like-for-like credits are specified in a biodiversity credit report appended to your Biodiversity Development Assessment Report, prepared by your accredited assessor.
Where it can be demonstrated that like-for-like’ credits can’t be reasonably secured, the decision maker may approve using the variation rules to meet your credit obligation in some circumstances. The variation rules provide some flexibility by allowing impacts to be offset by retiring credits for a broader suite of biodiversity that is as threatened as, or more threatened than, the biodiversity impacted by the project.
For more information about the types of credits that can be used to meet offset obligations, see Offset rules.
How to buy and retire credits on the Credit Supply Register
- Check the Credit Supply Register to see if there are credits available. You can filter this database by credit type, region and other variables.
- If the credits you need are available, contact the credit owner using their contact details on the Credit Supply Register to discuss buying available credits.
- To buy and retire biodiversity credits, you must fill in the required application forms and pay the processing fees. See Scheme fees.
If the credits you need are not available on the Credit Supply Register, you can advertise on the Credit Demand Register.
For help listing the credits you need on the Credits Demand Register, email mailbox: [email protected].
Contact the Credits Supply Taskforce
You can also submit an expression of interest to the Credits Supply Taskforce to help you source biodiversity credits.
An expression of interest can be submitted before your credit obligation is set by the decision maker.
Email the Credits Supply Taskforce for more information via mailbox: [email protected].
Pay into the Biodiversity Conservation Fund
You can meet you credit obligations by paying into the Biodiversity Conservation Fund.
The amount you need to pay is calculated using the Biodiversity Conservation Fund Charge System, which aims to predict the cost that the Biodiversity Conservation Trust will incur when buying biodiversity credits from credit holders.
View the Biodiversity Conservation Fund Charge System.
To make a payment to the Biodiversity Conservation Fund, you will need to complete an application form and provide your conditions of development consent. After you make the required payment, the Biodiversity Conservation Trust becomes responsible for the credit obligation, and you can start your project or impact.
Proponents who do not have development consent can seek an estimate of the cost of their credit obligation using the Biodiversity Conservation Trust’s Biodiversity credits price estimation service.
The price estimation service does not provide a binding quote or include the risk premium and delivery fees associated with payments to the Biodiversity Conservation Fund.
Due to the associated administration and delivery fees, paying into the Biodiversity Conservation Fund is often more expensive than securing credits on the market or creating your own credits.
Create your own credits
You can meet your credit obligation by creating and retiring your own credits if you have a suitable site. This can be done by developing a Biodiversity Stewardship Agreement with the Credits Supply Taskforce.
For more information email the Credits Supply Taskforce at [email protected] or submit a Stewardship Expression of Interest.