The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. England's new Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) policy requires developers to compensate for nature lost to construction, however, current offsetting approaches risk worsening environmental inequality by allowing green spaces to be destroyed in disadvantaged communities and recreated elsewhere.
A new discussion paper from scientists at the University of Aberdeen and commissioned by The British Academy, examines how policymakers can redesign biodiversity policies to better integrate people and place. The paper provides a framework for embedding social and cultural values into nature recovery, informed by lessons from England’s early BNG implementation challenges and insights from Switzerland’s more locally focused model.
The research team involved state that future policy must prioritise place-based approaches that restore nature where losses occur, ensuring that both communities and wildlife benefit in the areas that need support most.
Dr Emma Cary from the University of Aberdeen said: “When nature is removed from areas that already have limited access to green space, local residents lose vital health, wellbeing, and social benefits. These losses cannot be adequately replaced by ecological improvements delivered miles away. Nature is not only an environmental asset — it is closely tied to community identity, cultural values, and social justice.
“With the UK facing a biodiversity crisis and England’s mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain now in force, billions of pounds will be invested in nature recovery over the coming years. Access to nature already provides an estimated £2 billion in health benefits annually in England alone. But without considering where nature is created and who benefits, these policies could inadvertently deepen existing inequalities in access to green space, particularly for deprived and marginalised communities.”
Dr Flurina Wartmann added: “This research reveals the hidden justice issues in current policy, which treats biodiversity as tradeable units regardless of location, and it demonstrates practical methods for meaningfully involving local communities in shaping nature recovery. As Scotland develops its own biodiversity metric, our work offers timely evidence to help ensure its approach is more equitable from the outset.”