Guidance Note 6

Guidance Note 6
Biodiversity Conservation and

the Sustainable Management of Ecosystem Services and LivingNatural
Resources
May 19, 2010 Management
This Guidance Note (GN) 6 corresponds to Performance Standard 6. Please also refer to
Performance Standards 1–5 and 7–8 as well as their corresponding Guidance Notes for
additional information. Bibliographical information on all referenced materials appearing in the
text of this Guidance Note can be found in the References Section section at the end. of this
document.
Introduction
1. Performance Standard 6 recognizes that protecting and conserving biodiversity, the
maintenance of ecosystem services, and the sustainable management of natural resources
are —the variety of life in all its forms, including genetic, species and ecosystem diversity—
and its ability to change and evolve, is fundamental to sustainable development. BThe
components of biodiversity, as defined in the Convention on Biological Diversity, is the
variability among living organisms from all sources including, terrestrial, marine, and other
aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part. This includes
diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems. include ecosystems and
habitats, species and communities, and genes and genomes, all of which have social,
economic, cultural and scientific importance. This Performance Standard reflects the
objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity to conserve biological diversity and
promote the use of renewable natural resources in a sustainable manner. This Performance
Standard addresses how clients can avoid, reduce, restore, and offset or mitigate impacts
onthreats to biodiversity arising from their operations as well as sustainably manage
1
renewable natural resources and ecosystem services.
_____________________
1
Ecosystem services are defined as provisioning services (such as food, freshwater, shelter, and timber),
regulating services (such as surface water purification, carbon storage and sequestration, climate regulation,
and protection from natural hazards), and natural cultural services (such as cultural heritage and sacred sites),
which are linked to biodiversity.
G1. Biological diversity or biodiversity is recognized as an integrating concept that includes

the ecosystems within which the people of the world live, as well as the multitude of species that
are used by humankind for food, fiber, medicines, clothing and shelter. Protecting this global
biodiversity from damage and conserving it for future generations is recognized as being vitally
important in the Convention on Biological Diversity.
G2. In pursuing these aims, IFC is guided by and supports the implementation of applicable
international law and conventions including:
Convention on Biological Diversity and its protocols.
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat.
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn
Convention).
G2.G3. Ecosystem services are the benefits that people obtain from ecosystems, and include
provisioning services (such as food, fiber, fresh water, fuel wood, biochemicals, genetic
resources); regulating services (such as climate regulation, disease regulation, water regulation,
water purification, degradation of pollutants, carbon sequestration and storage, nutrient cycling);
and cultural services (spiritual and religious aspects, recreation and ecotourism, aesthetics,
inspiration, educational values, sense of place, cultural heritage). [LAC1] G13-G24 of this
Guidance Notes provides further information on ecosystem services.
125
Guidance Note 6
Resources
Objectives
To protect and conserve biodiversity
To ensure the continuance of benefits arising from ecosystem services
To promote the sustainable management and use of natural resources through the
adoption of practices that integrate conservation needs and development priorities
G3.G4. The objectives of Performance Standard 6 are derived from elements of the Convention
on Biological Diversity and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and the recognition of the
important role that the private sector can play in protecting and conserving biodiversity for future
generations and promoting the sustainable management and use of livingrenewable natural
resources. The sustainable management and use of renewable livingnatural resources by the
private sector should be achieved by balancing conservation and development priorities, and
recognizing that this may require trade-offs on each side.
Scope of Application
2. The applicability of this Performance Standard is established during the sSocial and
eEnvironmental Assessmentrisks and impacts identification process, while the
implementation of the actions necessary to meet the requirements of this Performance
Standard is managed through the client’s sSocial and Eenvironmental Mmanagement
Ssystem. The assessment and management system requirements are outlined in
Performance Standard 1.
3. Based on the Assessment of risks and impacts identification process onand the
vulnerability of the biodiversity and the natural resources present, the requirements of this
Performance Standard are applied to projects (i) located in all habitats, regardless of
2
whether or not those habitats have been modified or not, orpreviously disturbed and
whether or not they are legally protected or designated areas or not; (ii) in areas providing
3
critical ecosystem services to Affected Stakeholders and/or to the project; and (iii) whose
objective includes the extraction of natural resources (e.g., forestry, fisheries).
_____________________
2
As a general rule, modified habitat does not include urban areas, industrial, and other brownfield sites.
3
Critical ecosystem services are defined as those provisioning services necessary for sustaining the project or
the survival, sustenance, livelihood, or primary income source of Affected Stakeholders.
Requirements
General
4. In order to avoid, and if avoidance is not possible then to or reduceminimize and

restore adverse[LAC2] impacts to biodiversity and ecosystem services in the project’s area
of influence (see Performance Standard 1), paragraph, the client will assess [LAC3]the
significance of project impacts on all levels of biodiversity and ecosystem services as an
integral part of the social and environmental risks and impacts identification process. The
risks and impacts identification process should consider direct and indirect project-related
impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services and identify residual impacts.
5. The Assessment will take into account the differing values attached to biodiversity by
specific stakeholders, as well as identify impacts on ecosystem services. The Assessment
risks and impacts identification process will focus on the major threats to biodiversity and
priority ecosystem services, , such aswhich include habitat loss, degradation and
fragmentation, destruction and invasive alien species, overexploitation, water scarcity,
nutrient loading, pollution, and climate change. The Assessment risks and impacts
126
Guidance Note 6
Resources
identification process will take into account the differing values attached to biodiversity and
ecosystem services by specific stakeholders, as well as identify impacts on ecosystem
services. Wheren requirements of paragraphs 14–17 of this Performance Standard are
applicabley, the client will retain qualified and experienced external experts to assist in
conducting the Assessment risks and impacts identification process, which should
consider project-related impacts across the potentially affected landscape or seascape.
G5. As specified in Performance Standard 1, all projects will perform a with social or and
environmental risks and potential impacts will be subject to the Social and Environmental
identification Assessment process. Issues regarding biodiversity and ecosystem servicesnatural
resource management form an integral part of the Assessmentprocess. The Assessmentrisks
and identification process should consider project-related impacts on biodiversity and
ecosystem services in the project’s area of influence, including areas containing associated
facilities or areas impacted by supply chains or other third party relationships. project’s area of
influence, including areas containing associated facilities or areas impacted by supply chains or
other third party relationships. As part of this process, the client should assess the type and
importance of biodiversity present, whether at the genetic, species, or ecosystem level, and
consider the potential impacts of project-related activities on it. The assessment of genetic
diversity looks at the frequency and diversity of different genes and/or genomes. Species
diversity means the frequency and diversity of different species, i.e., a population of organisms
which are able to interbreed freely under natural conditions. Ecosystems are defined in
paragraph G4 below. The client should take into account: (i) the location and scale of project
activities, including those of associated facilities, and material impacts on biodiversity arising
through supply chains or other third party relationships; (ii) the project’s proximity to areas that
have important biodiversity; and (iii) the types of technology that will be used. If risks to
biodiversity are not identified through this screening, no further action for the direct identification,
protection and conservation of biodiversity under Performance Standard 6 will be required.
G6. Where biodiversity is a key focus, clients should refer to internationally recognized good
practice guidelines on integrating biodiversity into impact assessment, which include:
Voluntary Guidelines on Biodiversity-inclusive Environmental Impact Assessment

(Contained in the CBD Decision VIII/28 from COP8 in 2006).
Biodiversity in Impact Assessment–– (IAIA Special Publication Series No. 3).
Various products of––The Energy and Biodiversity Initiative.
G7. As part of the Assessment process, the client should determine the ‘vulnerability’
(degree of threat) and ‘irreplaceablity’ (rarity or uniqueness)1 of the biodiversity attributes in
question and/or the ecosystem service. Regarding ‘vulnerability’, the client should determine if
such threats, as listed in paragraph 7 in PS6, are pre-existing and/or the extent to which the
project will exacerbate or further them. Regarding irreplaceability, the client should describe the
uniqueness of the biodiversity attribute, the ecosystem service and/or the areas in which these
resource/services occur on a regional level.
G8. Projects that are likely to have a significant impact on biodiversity and/or on ecosystem
services should be subject to more detailed assessment, analysis and/or specific studies. Such
further assessment / analysis should be undertaken by qualified and experienced professionals
1
As paraphrased from Margules, C.R. and R. L. Pressey, Systematic Conservation Planning. Nature 405, 243-253 (11 May 2000),
irreplaceability is the extent to which the loss of the area will compromise regional conservation targets, and vulnerability is the risk
of the area being transformed by extractive uses. Areas with high values for both should receive priority for conservation action.
127
Guidance Note 6
Resources
[LAC4]and should fully account for the project’s direct and indirect impacts, including those
‘outside the fence’ of the project’s immediate boundaries. When paragraphs 11 and 16 [natural
and critical habitats] of this Performance Standard applies, the risk and identification process
Assessment should also consider cumulative impacts, especially those on habitat connectivity
and/or on downstream catchment areas.
. IFC can provide guidance on the form and scope of such studies and consultation activities,
and assist in the identification of experts. General requirements and guidance on community
engagement can be found in paragraphs X through X of Performance Standard 1 and its
accompanying Guidance Note
G4. Projects that are likely to have a significant impact on biodiversity should be subject to
more detailed assessment and analysis. Such further assessment and analysis should include
consideration of the short-term, long-term and cumulative context of such impacts, along with
evaluation of impacts on ecosystem services and natural resources. Ecosystem services are
the benefits that people obtain from ecosystems, and include provisioning services (such as
food, fiber, fresh water, fuel wood, biochemicals, genetic resources); regulating services (such
as climate regulation, disease regulation, water regulation, water purification, degradation of
pollutants, carbon sequestration and storage, nutrient cycling); and cultural services (spiritual
and religious aspects, recreation and ecotourism, aesthetics, inspiration, educational values,
sense of place, cultural heritage). As part of the consideration of these impacts, the client may
need to consult with key stakeholders that for the purpose of Performance Standard 6 include
potentially affected communities, public authorities and independent experts. General
requirements and guidance on community engagement can be found in paragraphs 19 through
23 of Performance Standard 1 and its accompanying Guidance Note.
G5. When specific potential significant biodiversity impacts are identified through
assessment and analysis, they should be further analyzed through specific studies. These
studies should be undertaken by qualified and experienced professionals using standard
sampling programs and tools. In all such cases, the client should consult with relevant national
and local authorities, affected communities and biodiversity experts. IFC can provide guidance
on the form and scope of such studies and consultation activities, and assist in the identification
of experts.
G6.G9. In sectors that rely on natural resources as raw materials (such as furniture
manufacturing and food processing), the impacts on biodiversity may also occur at several
points in the supply chain. In such situations, the client should identify any impacts caused by
their commercial partners or suppliers and address them in a manner commensurate to their
degree of control and influence. Additional information regarding supply chain management is
provided in Performance Standard 1 and its accompanying Guidance Note.
G7.G10. Assessment of biodiversity impacts can inform decisions on project alternatives.

Alternatives may include variations in the layout of the project site, alternative engineering
processes and construction practices, the selection of different sites or routing of linear facilities,
and screening of suppliers to select those with appropriate environmental/social risk
management systems.
The Assessment should consider economic, financial, environmental and social costs and
benefits and describe to which parties these accrue. Depending on the circumstances, the
costs and benefits may be expressed in qualitative or quantitative terms, and the professional
judgment of the balance between costs and benefits should be explained.
G8.G11. In projects with significant biodiversity issues (e.g., sensitive habitats or
endangered species), a Biodiversity Action Plan and/or Biodiversity Management should be
prepared to highlight these issues and illustrate how they will be addressed. The Biodiversity
Action Plan should identify specific measures and timelines for addressing biodiversity issues,
128
Guidance Note 6
Resources
and disclosed and implemented through the client’s Social and Environmental Management
system consistent with the requirements of Performance Standard 1. Depending on the nature
and scope of project and/or on the vulnerability/irreplaceability of the biodiversity attribute in
question, some actions will likely need to be undertaken before project financing. Details on the
preparation of a Biodiversity Action Plan and a Biodiversity Management Plan are presented in
Annex A.
G12. Given the importance of biodiversity in not only environmental but also economic, social,
cultural and scientific terms, the various components of biodiversity can have different values to
different stakeholders, and these different values should be clarified during consultation and
taken into account in the biodiversity Assessment.
5.6. Where there is a loss or diminution of an ecosystem service upon which the project
depends, or where the company’s project-related impacts are likely to negatively impact the
4
availability of an ecosystem service to Affected Stakeholders, , the client will identify and
prioritize those services as part of the risks and impacts identification process. Adverse
impacts on priority ecosystem services should be avoided, and if these impacts are
unavoidable, the client will meet the following requirements:
Reduce adverse impacts and implement restoration measures that aim to maintain
the value and functionality of such services.
Where the loss or diminution of a critical provisioning service is experienced by
Affected Stakeholders as a result of project implementation, that loss/diminution will
be addressed through Performance Standards 1 and 5.
Where the loss or diminution of a critical cultural service is experienced by Affected
Stakeholders, that loss/diminution will be addressed under Performance Standard 8
_____________________
4
Security of tenure ifit protects themeans that resettled individuals or communities are resettled to a
site that they can legally occupy and from which they are protected from the risk of forced eviction.
G13. PS6 has identifies how clients and projects should Assess, Manage and Monitor their
interaction with ecosystems. Ecosystems are defined as a functional unit that consists of a
dynamic complex of living organisms and their interaction with the nonliving environment.2 The
role and importance of human intervention and influence is explicit.
G14. Ecosystem services are defined as “the benefits that people obtain from ecosystems.”
Ecosystem services are grouped into four major categories:3
Provisioning ecosystem services are those most directly associated with production
functions of private enterprises including (i) food crops, seafood and game, wild
crops and ethnobotanicals (ii) water for drinking, irrigation and hydropower
(iii) forests areas which provide the basis for many biopharmaceuticals, construction
materials, and biomass for renewable energy
Regulating ecosystem services include functions which buffer anthropogenically-

induced stress on natural ecosystems and determine the resiliency of ecosystems to
human-induced change and include (i) climate regulation and carbon sequestration
(ii) waste decomposition and detoxification (iii) purification of water and air and
(iv) control of pests, disease and pollination
2
Millennium Ecosystems Assessment, 2005
3
See Millennium Ecosystem Assessment - see www.millenniumassessment.org
129
Guidance Note 6
Resources
Supporting services include functions that are less frequently encountered by clients
or their projects, including (i) nutrient capture and recycling (ii) primary production
(iii) flyways, migratory corridors and (iv) pathways for genetic exchange
G15. Cultural services including (i) recreational experiences such as eco-tourism and sport
(ii) cultural and intellectual motivation (iii) scientific exploration and education.
G16. Ecosystems services have historically been included implicitly in environmental review
procedures, often within the discussion of a project’s cumulative impacts. Improvements in
natural and social science and geographic information capabilities have made the delineation of
ecosystems and services more practical.
G9.G17. Numerous regional ecosystem mapping efforts have been completed (e.g.,
academic and governmental institutions, NGOs and intergovernmental organizations (e.g., The
Nature Conservancy, NatureServe Terrestrial Ecosystems Map for South America, Global
Forest Watch, Conservation International, FAO Forest Assessments, etc.), and many additional
efforts are currently underway (e.g., the GEO GEOSS Africa ecosystem mapping project).
These classifications and maps can be applied directly for the environmental assessment of
development projects, landscape integrity and conservation assessments, resource
development and management analyses, ecosystem services valuations, documentation and
prediction of environmental trends.
G18. Degradation of ecosystem services can pose operational, financial and reputational risks
to project sustainability. The extent of such threats, and the ecosystem’s resiliency, should be
considered during the risks and identification process.and development of the Management
Program. Monitoring plans should include ecosystem services to the extent they are identified
during the Assesment or during subsequent operations. The directness or dependence4 of the
company on the continued flow of ecosystem services should be identified.
G19. Ecosystems are increasingly recognized and protected by laws and regulations at
various levels. Several countries have included ecosystem services within recent legislation at
national and provincial levels and enforcement of legal ecosystem rights is being pursued in
many places. Thus elements of ecosystem services are increasingly important for regulatory
purposes with which the client should have demonstrated familiarity and be in possession of
current and proposed regulations which may affect their operations and reputation.
G10.G20. Management practices which identify and mitigate ecosystem impacts are well
established in forest and agriculture. Ecosystem impacts are explicitly included in several
current and emerging voluntary standards (Natural Resources Management, below) which have
adopted the High Conservation Value Network’s designation system.
G21. IFC is particularly concerned with water use within wetland ecosystems and watersheds
where human pressure and competition for use is often extreme and increasing. The use of
ecosystem-based permissibility regulations which recognize receiving media conditions, such as
4
The extent to which a company is dependent on ecosystem services for raw materials or security of supply and the extent to which
its operation gives rise to environmental externalities.
130
Guidance Note 6
Resources
Total Maximum Daily Load factors (TMDLs5) for watersheds should be considered whenever
possible by the client.
G22. During the risks and identification process (see PS 1) the client will conduct an
Ecosystem Services Review (ESR) to:
Review the nature and extent of ecosystem services in the project area;
Identify the condition, trends and external (non-project) threats to such services;
Distinguish the beneficiaries of such services within the project’s area of influence;
Assess the extent to which the project depends upon or may impact identified
services;
Identify the associated key operational, financial, regulatory and reputational risks;
Identify courses of action and mitigation measures which can reduce identified risks.
G23. The conduct of an ESR complements but does not replace other Assessment
requirements. The inclusion of an ESR will improve identification of a clients dependence and
vulnerability on ecosystem services. To the extent feasible, within the limits of available
information, the ESR should be quantitative. However, the qualitative nature of the project’s
interactions with identified ecosystem services and other beneficiaries is equally important.
G24. An example TOR for an ESR is included in Annex B (Ecosystem Services Review).
Numerous toolkits for improving the assessment of ecosystem services have been developed
and consensus on combining need with practicality is emerging. Information on industry-specific
ecosystem services are available through the following publications:
The Corporate Ecosystem Services Review: Guidelines for Identifying Business

Risks & Opportunities Arising from Ecosystem Change. 2008. WRI and Meridian
Institute. (http://www.wri.org/publication/corporate-ecosystem-services-review)
The Ecosystem Services Benchmark. A guidance document. 2009 Fauna & Flora
International, UNEP
Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Opportunities and Challenges for Business and
Industry in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. 2006.
RSB Ecosystem and conservation specialist study guidelines. 2009. RSB
(http://cgse.epfl.ch/)
Protection and Conservation of Biodiversity
G11. In projects with significant biodiversity issues (e.g. sensitive habitats or

endangered species), a Biodiversity Action Plan should be prepared to highlight these
issues and illustrate how they will be addressed. The Biodiversity Action Plan should be
incorporated into the client’s Action Plan, including any specific measures and timelines for
addressing biodiversity issues, and disclosed and implemented through the client’s Social
and Environmental Management system consistent with the requirements of Performance
Standard 1. Details on the preparation of a Biodiversity Action Plan are presented in Annex
A.
General
5
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is the maximum amount of pollution that a waterbody can assimilate without violating specified
water quality standards.
131
Guidance Note 6
Resources
6.7. Habitat is defined as a terrestrial, freshwater, or marine geographical unit or an airway

passage that supports complexities of living organisms and their interactions with the non-
living environment. For the purposes of implementation of this Performance Standard,
hHabitats arecan be divided into modified, natural, and critical.
5
7.8. For protection and conservation of the biodiversity, the mitigation hierarchy includes
6
biodiversity offsets.
_____________________
5
As defined in Performance Standard 1, the mitigation hierarchy is to avoid adverse impacts, reduce significant
impacts when avoidance is not possible, restore significant impacts when both avoidance and minimization is
not possible, and offset significant residual impacts as a last resort.
6
Biodiversity offsets are measurable conservation outcomes resulting from actions designed to compensate for
significant adverse biodiversity impacts arising from project development and persisting after appropriate
avoidance, minimization and restoration measures have been taken. Generally, these are not within the project
site.
In order to avoid or minimize adverse impacts to biodiversity in the project’s area of influence
(see Performance Standard 1, paragraph 5), the client will assess the significance of project
impacts on all levels of biodiversity as an integral part of the Social and Environmental
Assessment process. The Assessment will take into account the differing values attached to
biodiversity by specific stakeholders, as well as identify impacts on ecosystem services. The
Assessment will focus on the major threats to biodiversity, which include habitat destruction
and invasive alien species. When requirements of paragraphs 9, 10, or 11 apply, the client will
retain qualified and experienced external experts to assist in conducting the Assessmen
Habitat
Habitat destruction is recognized as the major threat to the maintenance of
biodiversity. Habitats can be divided into natural habitats (which are land and
water areas where the biological communities are formed largely by native
plant and animal species, and where human activity has not essentially
modified the area’s primary ecological functions) and modified habitats
(where there has been apparent alteration of the natural habitat, often with
the introduction of alien species of plants and animals, such as agricultural
areas). Both types of habitat can support important biovidersity at all levels,
including endemic or threatened species.
G12.G25. Performance Standard 6 recognizes the need to consider impacts on biodiversity
in both natural and modified habitats as modified habitats can also have significant biodiversity
value, often in managed agricultural landscapes. It is in modified habitats that much private
sector development takes place.
G13.G26. In practice, natural and modified habitats exist on a continuum that ranges from
completely undisturbed, pristine natural habitats at one end of the scale, through habitats with
some degree of human impact, to modified habitats that are intensively managed and have a
non-nativen artificial assemblage of plants and animals. The identification of an area as either a
natural or a modified habitat can therefore be complex, and often requires professional
judgment especially as project sites will often contain a mosaic of habitats.
G27. The delineation of natural or modified habitats will be determined based on the
biodiversity attributes on the site (e.g., extent of anthropogenic modification, spread of invasive
species, degree of pollution, the extent of habitat fragmentation, the viability of existing
naturally-occurring species assemblages, the resemblance of existing ecosystem functionality
and structure to historical conditions, the degree of other types of habitat degradation etc.). This
type of technical analysis should take place as part of the risks and impact identification process
Environmental and Social Assessment as described in Performance Standard 1. In recognizing
132
Guidance Note 6
Resources
and delineating natural or modified habitats, clients will need to consult suitably qualified
professionals for advice. Clients must retain qualified and experienced external experts when
dealing with critical habitat and legally protected areas.
G28. In addition to the above analysis, when identifying either modified and natural habitats,
and as part of the Assessment process, the client should also establish the differing values
attached to particular biodiversity resources by relevant local, national and international
stakeholder groups. These ‘values’ may be intrinsic (valued in and of itself) or human derived
(associated with a human benefit). Biodiversity values will be viewed differently depending on
the stakeholders, and will vary from place to place. Stakeholder groups with whom to consult
include affected communitiesstakeholders within the immediate vicinity of the project,
governmental officials, academic institutions, technical specialists and international conservation
NGOs.
G29. For all projects, but especially those in natural and critical habitats, the client should be
especially diligent in designing measures to adequately mitigate for indirect impacts. Some of
the most pervasive indirect impacts are caused by invasive species and induced access by third
parties (including project staff and local communities) into previously undisturbed or largely
inaccessible wilderness areas. Induced access control measures include limits or prohibitions
on the construction of new access roads or patrolling the use of existing or newly constructed
access roads. Access control measures are essential for linear infrastructure developments,
especially through intact wilderness areas, in areas susceptible to poaching or in areas with the
presence of species listed on Appendix 1 or 2 of Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species (CITES).
G30. Habitat degradation is one of the most significant potential threats to biodiversity and
ecosystem services associated with projects involving significant land development, including
mining, plantations or certain energy and industrial projects (e.g., oil and gas developments,
construction material extraction, for instance in cement manufacturing). Habitat alteration and
degradation may occur during different stages of projects: while oil and gas projects may have
the greatest potential for temporary or permanent alteration of terrestrial and aquatic habitats
occurring during construction, with mining and quarrying projects the greatest potential is
typically associated with the operational activities. Additionally, exploration activities in both the
mining and oil and gas sectors often require the development of access routes, transportation
corridors, seismic tracks, temporary facilities (such as storage material storage yards,
workshops, airstrips and helipads, equipment staging areas), construction material extraction
sites (including borrow pits and quarries), and temporary camps to house workers which may all
result in varying degrees of land-clearing and population in- migration. The client should adopt
the principle of footprint minimization through all project life cycles, and develop and implement
appropriate ecological restoration strategies, including physical reinstatement (or restoration)
and revegetation (or biorestoration) planning and methods, at the earliest possible stage in the
project planning. The basic principles should include: (i) protection of topsoil and restoration of
vegetation cover as quickly as possible after construction or disturbance, (ii) reestablishment of
original habitat retuning the project footprints to their preconstruction / predisturbance
conditions, (iii) where native species (especially protected species) cannot be retained in situ,
consideration of conservation techniques such as translocation / relocation.
G14. and often requires professional judgment. A project may involve a mosaic of habitats
that will each need to be addressed consistent with the requirements of Performance Standard
6. In recognizing and delineating natural or modified habitats, clients may need to consult
133
Guidance Note 6
Resources
suitably qualified professionals for advice. Clients should retain qualified and experienced
external experts when dealing with critical habitat and legally protected areas.
Annex B provides a decision framework for project siting and illustrates what should be
considered ‘no-go’ circumstances (i.e., circumstances which would be considered as not
meeting the requirements of Performance Standard 6 and therefore unlikely to be eligible for
financing by IFC or others) when working in various types of habitat and legally protected areas.
Modified Habitat
8.9. Modified habitats are those that may contain a large proportion of plant and/or animal
species of non-native origin, or where human activity has substantially modified the area’s
7
primary ecological functions. . Modified habitats include agricultural areas, forest
plantations, reclaimed coastal zones, and wetlands.
9.10. In areas of modified habitat, the client will exercise care to minimize reduce any
additional conversion or degradation of such habitat.
10. Modified Habitat
_____________________
7
This excludes habitat that has been converted in anticipation of the project.
G15. Modified habitat can provide living space for many species of plants and animals, even
where some of the ecological services it could provide have been decreased by the changes
from the original natural habitat. Clients should recognize these remaining values and avoid
further disturbance where technically and financially feasible, and cost-effective. For example,
on many industrial plant sites there may be wildland/wetland areas on the periphery of the sites
which could be left undisturbed as a buffer zone, or enhanced through planting of native species
and removal of alien invasive species.
G31. Definitions for modified habitats or degraded lands vary dramatically, and as previously
mentioned, project sites will often be located on mosaics of modified and natural habitats. Given
the range of habitats in which IFC invests, there is no prescriptive set of metrics for determining
if an area is to be considered ‘modified’ or not. The Assessmentrisks and identification process
should determine the level to which human-derived activities (excluding traditional uses by
indigenous peoples) have modified the ecological structure and functions of that habitat and its
native biodiversity.
G32. Regardless of a ‘modified’ designation, the client should determine if there are existing
biodiversity attributes of particular importance to conservation and the degree to which such
attributes are valued by relevant stakeholders, particularly local stakeholders and international
conservation NGOs. Mitigation measures should be designed to maintain such attributes either
on- site or within the landscape/seascape. As mentioned previously, some modified habitats
may also contain biodiversity attributes that trigger a critical habitat designation. For example,
highly modified habitats, such as ancient hedges in European agricultural landscapes or
‘tembawang’ rubber plantations in Kalimantan, might have very high biodiversity value,
triggering a critical habitat designation.
G33. Clients should sitelocate project activities on modified, rather than natural habitats;
however, those natural habitats that have been converted or degraded by the client or by recent
unsustainable landuse practices before IFC’s investment will not be considered modified.
Natural Habitat
11. Natural habitats are those (i) composed of viable assemblages of plant and/or animal
species of largely native origin, and/or (ii) where human activity has not essentially modified
the area’s primary ecological functions
134
Guidance Note 6
Resources
8
12. In areas of natural habitat, the client will not significantly covert or degrade such
habitat, unless the following could be demonstratedconditions are met[LAC5]:
No other viable alternatives within the region exist for development of the project on
modified habitat
Adequate conservation measures will be implemented within the project site, which
9
may include the identification and protection of set-asides
There are no technically and financially feasible alternatives
The overall benefits of the project outweigh the costs, including those to the
environment and biodiversity
Any conversion or degradation is appropriately mitigated according to the mitigation
hierarchy
13. Mitigation measures will be designed to achieve no net loss of biodiversity where
feasible, and may include a combination of actions, such as:
Post-operation restoration of habitats
Implementation of biodiversity oOffsets, such as of losses through the creation of
10
ecologically comparable area(s) that areis managed for biodiversity
Investment in a relevant and credible offset banking scheme
Implementation of measures to reduce habitat fragmentation, such as biodiversity
corridors
_____________________
8
Significant conversion or degradation is: (i) the elimination or severe diminution of the integrity of a habitat
caused by a major, long-term change in land or water use; or (ii) modification of a habitat that substantially
reduces the habitat’s ability to maintain viable population of its native species.
9
Set-asides are land areas within the project site that are excluded from development and are targeted for the
implementation of conservation enhancement measures. Set-asides will likely contain biodiversity attributes
and/or provide ecosystem services of significance at the national and/or regional level.
10
During offset development, cClients will respect the ongoing usage of proposed offset sitessuch biodiversity
by Indigenous Peoples or traditional communities
G16. Performance Standard 6 requires that any significant conversion or degradation of

natural habitat that could occur should be avoided (e.g., through project relocation or re-routing).
Where avoidance is not possible, such conversion or degradation should be restricted to cases
where it can be demonstrated that there are no technically and financially feasible alternatives,
where the benefits of the project outweigh the costs, and where the conversion or degradation is
reduced (e.g., through minimizing land take) or mitigated, in a manner appropriate to the
circumstances of the particular project.
G17. Mitigation measures should be developed to address the potential impacts on

biodiversity identified in the Social and Environmental Assessment. Mitigation measures should
be designed to achieve no net loss of biodiversity and favor impact avoidance and prevention
over reduction and compensation. Mitigation measures may include a combination of actions,
such as:
Restoring impacted areas with appropriate native species and consistent with local
ecological conditions
Offsetting biodiversity losses through the creation of ecologically comparable area(s)
elsewhere (comparable in size, quality and function) that is managed for biodiversity
Financial or in-kind compensation to direct users of biodiversity
135
Guidance Note 6
Resources
G34. In all cases, mitigation measures should be defined in the Action Plan and supported by
adequate financial resources from the client and, if necessary, supplemented by other financial
sources, such as donor funds. The client should identify roles and responsibilities for itself and
any third party for mitigation monitoring arrangements As mentioned for modified habitats, there
are no prescribed set of metrics available to identity what is a ‘natural habitat’. The
determination of natural habitat will be made using credible scientific analysis and best available
information. An assessment and comparison of current and historic conditions should be
conducted, and local knowledge and experience should be utilized. Natural habitats are not to
be interpreted as ‘untouched’ or ‘pristine’ habitats. It is assumed that the majority of habitats
designated as ‘natural’ will indeed have undergone some degree of historic or recent
anthropogenic impact. The question is the degree of impact. If the habitat still largely contains
the principal characteristic and key elements of its native ecosystem(s), such as complexity,
structure and diversity, than it should be considered a natural habitat regardless of the presence
of some invasive species, secondary forest or other human-induced alteration.
G35. The first bullet point is especially relevant to agribusiness projects where it might be
feasible in some cases to site the plantation on heavily modified and degraded lands rather than
on recently deforested areas or on other forms of natural habitat. In these cases, a well-
developed locations alternative analysis should be conducted to explore potential viable options
for development on modified habitat. The term ‘viable’ includes, but is not limited to, technical
and financial feasible alternatives. In addition, all reasonable attempts must be made to
conserve the remaining biodiversity attributes of importance on the site where significant
conversion and degradation is to take place. Such conservation measures may take the form of
set-asides, such as those prescribed by governments or by voluntary standards, such as the
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Roundtable for Sustainable Oil Palm (RSPO).
G36. If a project has the potential to result in a significant conversion or degradation of natural
habitats, relevant stakeholder groups must be engaged as part of a rigorous, fair and balanced
multi-stakeholder dialogue. Stakeholders should include a diverse set of opinions, including
scientific and technical experts, members of the international conservation NGO community in
addition to affected communitiesstakeholders. The stakeholder engagement is intended to
further inform the technical analysis as described in paragraph G34 of this Guidance Note.
Outcomes of this stakeholder process will shed light on the particular biodiversity attributes of
interest and the values of such attributes and the types of mitigation and other conservation
measures to consider, including biodiversity offsets.
G18.G37. Mitigation measures in natural habitat should be adequately supported by

financial resources from the client and, if necessary, supplemented by other financial sources,
such as donor funds. The client should identify roles and responsibilities for itself and any third
party for mitigation monitoring arrangements.
G19.G38. In areas of natural habitat, the client should design mitigation measures to
achieve “no net loss” through the application of various on-site and offset mitigation measures.
The types of measures to establish no net loss will vary from site to site as will the biodiversity
attributes of each site that require specific attention. The above mentioned technical analysis
and stakeholder engagement will be essential in identifying of which attributes the client should
focus on in be striving to obtain ‘no net loss.’ All natural habitat is not the same, and the
biodiversity attributes and values of such attributes will vary from place to place. The methods to
achieve no net loss in Brazilian grasslands will differ considerably from those in the Saharan
Desert or in tracts of larch in Siberia.
136
Guidance Note 6
Resources
G39. Regarding offsets, the client should adhere to the latest thinking on this topic, which has
been put forward by the Business and Biodiversity Offset Program (BBOP).6 For example,
BBOP has developed a set of ‘Offset Principles’ and emphasizes that offsets must achieve
conservation outcomes ‘on-the-ground.’7 The creation of an ecologically comparable area is one
example of the many types of offsets that could be developed by the client. Nevertheless,
offsets in natural habitats should strive to achieve “like for like” or better. In some cases, it might
be more effective for the client to invest in existing offset banking schemes, but IFC would
expect the client to demonstrate the credibility and long-term viability of such initiatives.
G40. Habitat fragmentation is one of the most pervasive impacts to biodiversity in natural
habitats and often leads to long-term habitat degradation due to edge effects, increased human
access into previously undisturbed areas, and sometimes genetic isolation of fauna and flora
populations. When a project is located in an expansive intact wilderness, the client should seek
to define mitigation measures to limit fragmentation such as the design of wildlife corridors or
other measures to help ensure connectivity between habitats or existing metapopulations. The
client should also consider developing strategic frameworks with other companies and/or with
the government, where possible, in an effort to mitigateion cumulative impacts through the
design of joint mitigation measures. These types of initiatives must be identified with the
assistance of qualified specialists.
G20. Depending on the scale and nature of the project, and especially relevant to the
extractive industries, the client should establish a reclamation funding mechanism for project’s
located in natural habitats. The costs associated with reclamation and/or with post-
decommissioning activities, should be included in business feasibility analyses during the
planning and design stages. Minimum considerations should include the availability of all
necessary funds, by appropriate financial instruments, to cover the cost of reclamation and
project closure at any stage in the project's lifetime, including provision for early, or temporary
reclamation or closure. Funding should be by either a cash accrual system or a financial
guarantee. The two acceptable cash accrual systems are fully funded escrow accounts
(including government managed arrangements) or sinking funds. An acceptable form of
financial guarantee must be provided by a reputable financial institution. If not already
established before financial close, the type of reclamation should specified as a commitment in
the client’s Action Plan
G21. Of the key stages of a project, the construction phase can be particularly damaging to
natural habitat. Therefore, the client should give specific attention to impacts likely to arise at
this stage.
Critical Habitat
27.14. Critical habitat is a subset of both natural and modified habitat and is determined
by the presence that deserves particular attention. Critical habitat includes areas with high
biodiversity value, , including areas with the following criteria: (i) habitat[LAC6] of
significant importance to Crequired for the survival of critically Eendangered and/or
;
Eendangered species, , areas having special significance for endemic and/or restricted-
range species,; and sites that are critical for the survival of migratory species; areas
supporting globally significant concentrations of migratory species, and/or or numbers of
individuals of congregatory species; (ii) areas with regionally unique and/or highly
6
http://www.forest-trends.org/biodiversityoffsetprogram/
7
Offset Principles: No net loss, adherence to mitigation hierarchy, landscape context, stakeholder participation, equity, long-term
success and transparency.
137
Guidance Note 6
Resources
threatened ecosystems; and (iii) areas assemblages of species or which are associated with
key evolutionary processes or provide key ecosystem services; and areas having
biodiversity of significant social, economic or cultural importance to local communities.
29.15. In areas of critical habitat, the client will not implement any project activities unless
the following requirements are met:
There are no measurable adverse impacts on the criteria for which the critical habitat
was designated and on the ecological processes supporting that criteria the ability of
the critical habitat to support the established population of species described in
paragraph 9 or the functions of the critical habitat described in paragraph 9
The project is not anticipated to lead to a net There is no reduction in the global or
national/regional population of any recognized Ccritically Eendangered or
Eendangered s[LAC7]pecies over time
Any lesser impacts are mitigated in accordance with paragraph 8
The client has implemented a robust biodiversity monitoring program
All other impacts are mitigated in accordance with the mitigation hierarchy
16. In areas of critical habitat, biodiversity offsets will be designed to achieve net positive
gain of the relevant criteria described in paragraph 14 of this Performance Standard.
Critical habitat is a subset of both natural and modified habitat and is determined by the
presence of high biodiversity value based on one or more of the following criteria:
large numbers of endemic or restricted-range species found only in a specific area
the presence of known critically endangered or endangered species
habitat that is required for the survival of particular migratory species or to support globally
significant concentrations or numbers of individuals of congregatory species
unique assemblages of species that cannot be found anywhere else
areas that have key scientific value due to the evolutionary or ecological attributes present
areas that include biodiversity that has significant social, cultural or economic importance to
local communities
areas recognized as particularly important for the protection of ecosystem services (such as
aquifer protection).
Since the determination of critical habitat requires professional expertise and judgment, clients
should retain suitably qualified external experts to provide assistance.
Project activities should only be conducted in critical habitat if it can be demonstrated that they
will not have a measurable adverse impact on the ability of the critical habitat to maintain its
high biodiversity value. The probability of measurable adverse impacts on critical habitat
would be determined through a detailed biodiversity assessment. The assessment, using
objective data, scientific methodology and analysis, would determine whether the project would
result in a quantifiable reduction in endangered or critically endangered species either directly
or indirectly through habitat destruction. Such quantification would describe a high probability
adverse outcome in terms expected reductions in population numbers, habitat carrying
capacity or other relevant parameters.
Clients should not reduce the populations of any species recognized as critically endangered
or endangered (in accordance with the IUCN Red List, or any national list designated by the
host government). Critically endangered or endangered species are species that are under
threat of extinction. In addition to the IUCN Red List, The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
provides useful information on protected areas, conservation and biodiversity expertise, and
other biodiversity and natural resources issues and has developed guidelines on protected
areas including an outline of distinct categories of protected areas. These and other sources
of information can be found in the References Section.
138
Guidance Note 6
Resources
G41. The critical habitat definition presented in paragraph 154 of PS6 is in line with criteria
captured from a wide range of definitions of priority habitat for biodiversity conservation in use
by the conservation community and contained in governmental legislation and regulations on
nature conservation. As stated in paragraph 914 of PS6 both natural and modified habitats may
contain high biodiversity values, thereby qualifying as critical habitat. The extent of human-
induced alteration of the habitat is therefore not necessarily an indicator of its biodiversity value.
G42. Considering the breadth of ecosystems (e.g., forests, grasslands, deserts, freshwater
and marine habitats), the various forms of critical habitat (e.g., habitats required for the survival
of threatened and migratory species, containing unique evolutionary processes, biodiversity of
cultural importance to local communities) and the range of species (e.g., benthos, plants,
insects, birds, reptiles/amphibians, wide-ranging megafauna) covered under PS6, specific
methods for the assessment of biodiversity will inherently be project and site-specific. Guidance
Note 6 therefore does not provide specific methods for conducting biodiversity assessments.
G43. It is especially important to emphasize that relatively broad landscape and seascape
units might qualify as critical habitat. The scale of the critical habitat assessment therefore
depends on the biodiversity attributes particular tof the habitat in question and the ecological
processes required to maintain them. A critical habitat assessment therefore must not solely
focus on the project area. Whilst it often may not be feasible to conduct an actual field survey
‘outside the fence’ of the project site, the client should be prepared to conduct desktop
assessments and/or consult with experts and other relevant stakeholders to obtain an
understanding of the relative importance or ‘uniqueness’ of the site with respect to the regional
and even global scale.
G44. The designation of critical habitat and the determination of what a client may or may not
do in critical habitat is not a black and white issue. There are ‘gradients’ of critical habitat or a
‘continuum’ of degrees of biodiversity value associated with critical habitats based on the
relative vulnerability (degree of threat) and irreplaceablity (rarity or uniqueness)8 of the site. This
‘gradient’ or ‘continuum of criticality’ is true for all criteria as listed in the critical habitat definition.
Even within a single site designated as critical habitat there might be habitats or habitat features
of higher or lower biodiversity value.
G45. In order to facilitate internal decision-making, and as presented in the forthcoming

paragraphs, IFC employs a ‘tiered approach’ for the first three critical habitat criteria (i.e.,
Critically Endangered and Endangered species; endemic and restricted-range species;
migratory and congregatory species). The tiers provided in GN6 are based on globally
standardized numerical thresholds published by the International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) as Best Practice Protected Area Guidelines.9,10 It should be emphasized that
both the thresholds and associated tiers are indicative and serve as a guideline for decision-
making only. There is no universally accepted or automatic formula for making determinations
on critical habitat. The involvement of relevant experts and project-specific assessments is
critical, especially when data are limited as will often be the case.
8
As paraphrased from Margules, C.R. and R. L. Pressey, Systematic Conservation Planning. Nature 405, 243-253 (11 May 2000),
irreplaceability is the extent to which the loss of the area will compromise regional conservation targets, and vulnerability is the risk
of the area being transformed by extractive uses. Areas with high values for both should receive priority for conservation action.
9
See Langhammer, P.F. et al. 2007. Identification and Gap Analysis of Key Biodiversity Areas: Targets for Comprehensive
Protected Area Systems. Best Practice Protected Area Guideline Series No. 15. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
10
Key Biodiversity Areas are nationally mapped sites of global significance for biodiversity conservation that have been selected
using globally standard criteria and thresholds based on the framework of vulnerability and irreplaceability widely used in systematic
conservation planning.
139
Guidance Note 6
Resources
G46. Both a ‘Tier 1’ or a ‘Tier 2’ habitat would qualify as ‘critical’ but the likelihood of project
investment in a Tier 1 habitat is generally considered to be substantially lower than in a Tier 2
habitat. Note that GN6 does not outline the particularities of when an investment is or is not a
suitable one for IFC in terms of the presence of critical habitat. IFC’s decision to invest in a
development in or near a Tier 1 or Tier 2 critical habitat, or in a habitat with particularly high
biodiversity values that trigger Criteria 4 and 5, is determinant on the client’s ability to comply
with paragraphs 165 and 176, of PS6 over the long-term. Given the sensitivity of Tier 1 habitats
however, if a development is located in a Tier 1 habitat, or the like for the non-tiered criteria, it is
considered unlikely that the client will be able to comply with paragraphs 165 and 176 in the
majority of cases.
G47. Although numerical thresholds are not appropriate for the latter three criteria, best
available scientific information and expert opinion would be used to guide the decision-making
with respect to the relative ‘criticality’ of a habitat triggered by these criteria. It is emphasized
however that in the critical habitat determination process, all criteria are equally weighed in
terms of potential compliance with paragraphs 165 and 176 of PS6. There is no one criterion
that is ‘more important’ than another for making critical habitat designations or for determining
compliance with PS6. ‘Tiered’ (Criteria 1 through 3) and ‘non-tiered’ (Criteria 4 and 5) criteria
are equally important in this regard.
G48. The client is expected to fully consult the current version of the IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species and best available scientific data.11 Given the paucity of scientific data
available for species in many places around the world, especially for invertebrates and
freshwater and marine species, expert opinion and professional judgment will often be
necessary to make final determinations with respect to the thresholds. The client will be required
to consult with recognized species specialists who are qualified to make determinations on
species occurrences.
G49. Critical habitat determinations should also be made in alignment with existing landscape
prioritization schemes for biodiversity conservation as established by the existing in-country
network of conservation organizations, global conservation groups, academic institutions and/or
the local/national government. Therefore, a substantive literature search and consultation with
established conservation organizations or other relevant authorities in the area of interest is
essential in determining critical habitat. Note that systematic conservation assessments and
plans, which are recognized by national or provincial governments, should be consulted for
guidance on threatened ecosystems, vegetation types and land classes.
Critical Habitat Criteria

G50. Critical habitats are areas of high biodiversity value that can be identified through the
presence of one or more of the following five values or “criteria” specified in paragraph 154 of
PS6. These are as follows and should form the basis of any critical habitat assessment:
Criterion 1: Critically Endangered and/or Endangered Species

Criterion 2: Endemic and/or Restricted-range Species
Criterion 3: Migratory and/or Congregatory Species
Criterion 4: Regionally unique and/or highly threatened ecosystems
Criterion 5: Key Evolutionary Processes
11
Available at www.iucnredlist.org
140
Guidance Note 6
Resources
G51. The above mentioned criteria encompass a number of other types of biodiversity
attributes that are also of high value but that are not spelt out in paragraph 154 of PS6. For
example, the following attributes would fall under the PS6 critical habitat criteria as shown
below:
Areas of high scientific value such as those containing concentrations of species new
and/or little known to science (Criterion 1).
Areas required for the reintroduction of CR and EN species and refuge sites for
highly threatened species (habitat used during periods of stress [e.g. flood, drought
or fire]) (Criteria 1 and 5)
Landscape and ecological processes (e.g., water catchments, areas critical to
erosion control, disturbance regimes [e.g., fire, flood]) required for maintaining critical
habitat (Regionally unique and/or highly threatened ecosystems) (Criterion 4).
Areas of primary / old-growth / undisturbed forests or other landscapes (Criterion 4).
Habitat critical for the survival of keystone species (Criterion 4).
Ecosystems that are of high importance to species for climate adaptation purposes
(Criterion 5)
G52. In general, and as also referenced in paragraph 187 of PS6, internationally and/or
nationally recognized areas of high biodiversity value will likely qualify as critical habitat;
examples include the following:
Areas that meet the criteria of the IUCN’s Protected Area Management Categories
Ia, Ib and II12.
The majority of KBAs, which encompass inter alia Ramsar Sites, Important Bird
Areas (IBA), Important Plant Areas [IPA] and Alliance for Zero Extinction Sites [AZE].
Areas identified by the client as High Conservation Value (HCV) using internationally
recognized standards, where criteria used to designate such areas is consistent with
the biodiversity values listed paragraph 17.13
Criterion 1: Critically Endangered and Endangered Species
G53. Species threatened with global extinction and listed as Critically Endangered (CR) and
Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species shall be considered as part of
Criterion 1. Critically Endangered species face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
G54. The inclusion of species in Criterion 1 that are listed nationally / regionally as CR or EN,
in countries that have adhered to IUCN guidance, shall be determined on a project by project
basis14,15. The same is true in instances where nationally or regionally listed species’
categorizations do not correspond well to those of the IUCN (e.g., some countries more
generally list species as ‘protected’ or ‘restricted’), although in these cases an assessment
might be conducted on the rationale and purpose of the listing. In either case, this decision-
making would take place in consultation with recognized species specialists.
12
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/protected_areas/categories/index.html
13
The HCV Framework was established by the Forest Stewardship Council’s Principles and Criteria for Responsible Forest
Management (FSC P&C) in 1999. See http://www.hcvnetwork.org/ for further information.
14
IUCN (2003). Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional Levels: Version 3.0. IUCN Species Survival
Commission. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. IUCN. 2003.
15
See http://www.nationalredlist.org/site.aspx
141
Guidance Note 6
Resources
G55. As previously mentioned, IFC is employing a ‘tiered approach’ for the first three critical
habitat criteria in order to facilitate internal decision-making. Both tiers would qualify a habitat as
‘critical’ although the likelihood of project investment in a Tier 1 habitat is generally considered
to be substantially lower than in a Tier 2 habitat.
G56. The client should determine if the project site is located in a Tier 1 or Tier 2 critical
habitat with respect to Criterion 1.
G57. Tier 1 sub-criteria for Criterion 1 are defined as follows:
Habitat required to sustain ≥ 10 percent of the global population of an IUCN Red-

listed CR or EN species where there are known, regular occurrences of the species
and where that habitat could be considered a discrete management unit for that
species.16,17,18
Habitat with known, regular occurrences of CR or EN species where that habitat is
one of 10 or fewer discrete management sites globally for that species.
Habitat that supports the regular occurrence of a single individual of an IUCN Red-
listed CR species and/or habitat containing regionally-important concentrations of an
IUCN Red-listed EN species where that habitat could be considered a discrete
management unit for that species.
Habitat of significant importance to CR or EN species that are wide-ranging and/or
whose population distribution is not well understood and where the loss of such a
habitat could potentially impact the long-term survivability of the species.
As appropriate, habitat containing nationally / regionally-important concentrations of
an EN, CR or equivalent national/regional listing.
G59. In certain circumstances, and through consultation with a recognized species specialist,
the guidance provided for Criterion 1 may be extended to some subspecies. This determination
would be made on a case-by-case basis. This statement also applies to critical habitat Criterion
2 and 3.
Criterion 2: Endemic and Restricted-range Species
16
Regular Occurrence: Occurring continuously in the habitat (e.g. physical residence), seasonally or cyclically (e.g., migratory sites)
or episodic (e.g., temporary wetlands). Regular occurrence does not include vagrancies, marginal occurrence and historical records
or unconfirmed anecdotal evidence, while it does include migratory species in transit. Adapted from definition of ‘regularly occurs’ in
Langhammer et al. (2007).
17
Discrete Management Unit: An area with a definable boundary within which the character of biological communities and/or
management issues have more in common with each other than they do with those in adjacent areas (Adapted from the definition of
‘discreteness’ by the Alliance for Zero Extinction). A discrete, management unit may or may not have an actual management
boundary (e.g., legally protected areas, World Heritage sites, KBAs, IBAs, community reserves) but could also be defined by some
other sensible ecologically definable boundary (e.g., watershed, interfluvial zone, intact forest patch within patchy modified habitat,
seagrass habitat, a coral reef, a concentrated upwelling area, etc.). The delineation of the management unit will depend on the
species (and, at times, subspecies) of concern.
18
Note that all Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) sites would automatically qualify as Tier 1 critical habitat per Criterion 1 as the AZE
threshold is set at 95 percent of CR and EN species (in a discrete management unit). See Ricketts, T.H., et al. 2005. Pinpointing
and Preventing Imminent Extinctions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - US. 51: 18497-18501
142
Guidance Note 6
Resources
G60. An endemic species is defined as one that has ≥ 95 percent of its global range inside the
country or region of analysis.19
G61. A restricted-range species is defined as follows. 8
For terrestrial vertebrates, a restricted-range species is defined as those species

which have a historical breeding range of 50,000 km2 or less.
For marine systems, restricted-range species are provisionally being considered
those with an extent of occurrence of 100,000 km2 or less.20
For freshwater systems, a standardized threshold has not been developed as the
measurement of a species’ range itself is problematic.
For plants, restricted-range species may be listed as part of national legislation.
Plants are more commonly referred to as ‘endemic’, and the definition provided in
paragraph G60 would apply.21
habitat with respect to Criterion 2.
G63. The Tier 1 sub-criterion for Criterion 2 are defined as follows:
Habitat known to sustain ≥ 95 percent of the global population of an endemic or

restricted-range species where that habitat could be considered a discrete
management unit for that species (e.g., a single-site endemic).
Habitat known to sustain ≥ 1 percent but < 95 percent of the global population of an
endemic or restricted-range species where that habitat could be considered a
discrete management unit for that species, where adequate data are available.
G65. For some species, estimates might not be available for the species’ global population
and/or local population. In these cases, the client is expected to use expert opinion to determine
the significance of the discrete management unit with respect to the global population.
Surrogates of population size (e.g., extent of occurrence [EOO]22, estimates of total area of
known sites, estimates of area of occupied habitat) will be highly valuable in this decision-
making. This statement also applies to Tier 2 for Criterion 3.
Criterion 3: Migratory and Congregatory Species
19
Definition from Langhammer et al. (2007). Note that “region” may also be a landscape or other sensible geographical unit within
the country itself.
20
See Edgar, G. J. et al. 2009. Key biodiversity areas as globally significant target sites for the conservation of marine biological
diversity. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. 18: 969-983.
21
Plantlife International. 2004. Identifying and Protecting the World’s Most Important Plant Areas. Salisbury, UK.
22
Extent of occurrence is defined as the area contained within the shortest continuous imaginary boundary which can be drawn to
encompass all the known, inferred or projected sites of present occurrence of a taxon, excluding cases of vagrancy. This measure
may exclude discontinuities or disjunctions within the overall distributions of taxa (e.g. large areas of obviously unsuitable habitat).
Extent of occurrence can often be measured by a minimum convex polygon (the smallest polygon in which no internal angle
exceeds 180 degrees and which contains all the sites of occurrence). Definition provided in IUCN (2001) IUCN Red List Categories
and Criteria: version 3.1. IUCN, Gland and Cambridge.
143
Guidance Note 6
Resources
G66. Migratory species are defined as any species of which a significant proportion of its
members cyclically and predictably move from one geographical area to another (including
within the same ecosystem).
G67. Congregatory species are defined as species whose individuals gather in large groups
on a cyclically or otherwise regular and/or predictable basis; examples include the following:
Species that form colonies;
Species that form colonies for breeding purposes and/or where large numbers of
individuals of a species gather at the same time for non-breeding purposes (e.g.,
foraging, roosting).
Species that move through ‘bottleneck’ sites where significant numbers of individuals
of a species pass over a concentrated period of time (e.g., during migration).
Species with ‘large but clumped’ distributions where a large number of individuals
may be concentrated in a single or a few sites while the rest of the species is largely
dispersed (e.g., wildebeest distributions)
‘Source populations’ where certain sites hold populations of species that make an
inordinate contribution to recruitment of the species elsewhere (especially important
for marine species)
habitat with respect to Criterion 3. The Tier 1 sub-criterion for Criterion 3 are defined as follows:
G69. Habitat known to sustain, on a cyclical or otherwise regular basis, ≥ 95 percent of the
global population of a migratory or congregatory species at any point of the species’ lifecycle
where that habitat could be considered a discrete management unit for that species.
G70. The Tier 2 sub-criteria for Criterion 3 are defined as follows:
Habitat known to sustain, on a cyclical or otherwise regular basis, ≥ 1 percent but <
95 percent of the global population of a migratory or congregatory species at any
point of the species’ lifecycle and where that habitat could be considered a discrete
management unit for that species, where adequate data are available.
For birds, habitat that meets BirdLife International’s Criterion A4 for congregations
and/or Ramsar Criteria 5 or 6 for Identifying Wetlands of International
Importance.23,24
For species with large but clumped distributions, a provisional threshold is set at ≥5
percent of the global population for both terrestrial and marine species.
Source sites that contribute ≥ 1 percent of the global population of recruits.
Criterion 4: Regionally Unique and Highly Threatened Ecosystems
G71. Regionally unique and highly threatened ecosystems are defined by a combination of
factors that determine their importance for conservation action. The prioritization of rare and
endangered ecosystems employs similar factors to those used for the IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species. The ecosystem prioritization factors include long-term trend, rarity,
ecological condition, and threat. All of these values contribute to the relative biodiversity and
conservation value of the particular ecosystem.
23
See IBA global criteria in http://www.BirdLife.org/datazone/sites/european_criteria.html
24
See http://195.143.117.139/key_criteria.htm
144
Guidance Note 6
Resources
G72. For regional scale biodiversity conservation applications, ecosystems are classified and
mapped at specific scales with a focus on vegetation structure and composition, land cover, and
key abiotic factors. Data used to create these regional scale ecosystem maps typically include
vegetation and land use maps, and other driving environmental factors including climate,
hydrology, geochemistry, and landscape position (elevation and aspect).
G73. To implement the Regionally Unique and/or Highly Threatened Ecosystems criterion, the
client must first conduct a substantive literature search and consult with established
conservation organizations or other relevant authorities in the area of interest to secure a
standardized ecosystem map for the region that includes the project site. Existing ecosystem
maps can be used directly, or new maps can be produced relatively quickly at moderate cost, as
practicable. If regional ecosystem mapping has not been conducted in the area of interest
and/or depending on the nature and scale of the project type, the client could also use expert
opinion to determine the uniqueness and rarity of the ecosystem in question with respect to the
regional scale.
G74. Land areas determined to be ‘irreplaceable’ based on systematic conservation

planning25 techniques carried out at the landscape and/or regional scale by academic
institutions, national governments and/or other relevant qualified authorities (including
internationally-recognized NGOs), will qualify as critical habitat per Criterion 4.
Criterion 5: Key Evolutionary Processes
G75. The structural attributes of a region, such as its topography, geology, soil,
temperature and vegetation and combinations of these variables can influence the
evolutionary processes that give rise to regional configurations of species and ecological
properties. In some cases, spatial features that are unique or idiosyncratic of the landscape
have been associated with genetically unique populations or subpopulations of plant and
animal species. Physical or spatial features have been described as ‘surrogates’ or ‘spatial
catalysts’ for evolutionary and ecological processes, and spatial catalysts are often
associated with species diversification26. Maintaining these ‘key evolutionary processes’
inherent in a landscape as well as the resulting species (or subpopulations of species) has
become a major focus of biodiversity conservation in recent decades, and particularly the
conservation of ‘genetic’ diversity. By conserving the species diversity within a landscape,
the processes that drive speciation, as well as the genetic diversity within a species,
ensures the evolutionary flexibility in a system, which is especially important in a rapidly
changing climate.
G76. This criterion therefore is principally defined by the physical features of a landscape
that might be associated with particular evolutionary processes. In some cases however this
criterion will also include species, subspecies or subpopulations that are taxonomically
known to be phylogenetically distinct.
25
See Margules, C.R. and R. L. Pressey, Systematic Conservation Planning. Nature 405, 243-253 (11 May 2000). In short,
systematic conservation planning a largely quantitative and objective approach to the selection of priority areas for targeting
conservation action. Typically it involves the integration of expert knowledge, various forms of GIS modeling (involving vulnerability
and irreplaceability analysis) with other published sources of information.
26
Pressey, R. L, et al. 2007. Conservation planning in a changing world. Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 22(11): 583-592; and,
Rouget, M. et al. 2003. Identifying spatial components of ecological and evolutionary processes for regional conservation planning
in the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. Diversity and Distributions. 9: 191-210.
145
Guidance Note 6
Resources
G77. The significance of structural attributes in a habitat that may influence evolutionary
processes will be determined on a case-by-case basis, and determination of habitat that
triggers this criterion will be heavily reliant on relevant scientific knowledge. In the majority of
cases, this criterion will be triggered in areas that have been previously investigated and that
are already known or suspected to be associated with unique evolutionary processes. While
systematic methods to measure and prioritize evolutionary processes in a landscape do
exist, they are typically beyond a reasonable expectation of studies conducted by the private
sector. At the very least though, the client should be aware of what constitutes a key
‘evolutionary process’ so that this aspect may be covered as part of its assessment through
a literature search complemented, as needed, by an assessment in-field.
G78. For illustrative purposes, some potential examples of spatial features associated with
evolutionary processes are as follows:
Isolated areas (e.g., islands, mountaintops, lakes) are associated with species that
are phylogenetically distinct;
Areas of high endemism often contain flora and/or fauna species with unique
evolutionary histories (note overlap with Criterion 2, Endemic and Restricted-range
Species).
Landscapes with high spatial heterogeneity are a driving force in speciation as
species are naturally selected on their ability to adapt and diversify.
Environmental gradients, also known as ecotones, produce transitional habitat which
has been associated with the process of speciation and increased species and
genetic diversity.
Edaphic interfaces are specific juxtapositions of soil types (e.g. serpentine outcrops,
limestone and gypsum deposits), which have led to the formation of unique plant
communities characterized by both rarity and endemism.
Connectivity between habitats (e.g., historic corridors) ensures species migration and
gene flow, which is especially important in fragmented habitats and for the
conservation of metapopulations.
Sites of demonstrated importance to Climate Change Adaptation for either species or
ecosystems are also included within this criterion.
G79. If a project has triggered one or more of the critical habitat criteria, the very first step
is to conduct a critical habitat assessment to determine which of the initially triggered criteria
actually qualify as critical habitat, and therefore if the site is indeed located in a critical
habitat. Following this determination, which is independent of the project type or of the
mitigation strategy, the client should then demonstrate if and how the project might comply
with paragraphs 165 and 176 of PS6 over the long-term given the suite of mitigation and
management measures to be implemented.
G80. During the critical habitat assessment, the client has the primary responsibility to
both gather the information and make a call on critical habitat designation and potential
compliance with client requirements, whilst the IFC has a separate, parallel process to
review this information and accept, reject or comment on the client’s conclusion in line with
PS6 and GN6. The demonstration of the Project’s approach to comply with PS6 should be
included in the form of a Biodiversity Action Plan, if that approach is not readily apparent.
See Annex A of this document.
G81. Definitions for language contained in paragraph 165 of PS6 are provided as follows.
146
Guidance Note 6
Resources
Measurable: Identified using a quantitative or semi-quantitative biodiversity

monitoring program throughout the project’s lifecycle. Acceptable ranges of variability
must be established for identified biodiversity attributes, which may be the actual
attributes themselves that render the habitat critical (e.g., threatened species,
migratory species) or proxies of those attributes (e.g., land cover).
Adverse impacts: Project-related direct or indirect impacts that irreversibly alter

identified biodiversity attributes in such a way that the critical habitat cannot
withstand or fully recover from the disturbance and therefore cannot persist in the
long-term.
Ecological processes: Biophysical processes (e.g., hydrologic regimes, local

climatic regimes, soil chemistry/nutrient cycling, fire, flood and other disturbance
regimes, grazing, herbivory, predation, ecological corridors, migration routes)
necessary for the critical habitat to persist in the landscape or seascape for the long-
term.27
Net Reduction: A singular or cumulative loss of individuals that impacts on the

species’ ability to persist at the global, regional or national scale for many
generations or over a long period of time. The scale (global, regional or national) on
which population-level impacts are to be measured will be determined on a case by
case basis in consultation qualified species specialist. Note that net reduction over
time should not be interpreted as to be achieved within the lifetime of IFC’s
investment.
Mitigation Hierarchy: See definition provided for Avoidance, Minimization,

Rehabilitation/Restoration, Offset in BBOP’s Glossary.28
G82. Specific required mitigation and management measures with respect to critical
habitat criteria are not being detailed in GN6 as these requirements will inherently be case-
specific. There are numerous factors that will weigh into the IFC’s internal decision-making
with respect to critical habitat, most predominantly are the following: (i) the capacity of the
client; (ii) the quality of the biodiversity assessment; (iii) the type of development with
respect to the particular critical habitat in question; (iv) the extent of mitigation, and in
particular, biodiversity offsets; (v) the willingness of the client to establish effective, long-term
strategic partnerships with the government, academic institutions, local
communities/stakeholders and/or internationally recognized conservation organizations;
and, (vi) the capacity of the host government.
G83. In general, projects with large, expansive footprints are not expected to comply with
paragraphs 165 and 176 of PS6.
G84. The acceptable ‘reduction’ in population should not be interpreted as the survival of
every individual, except in extreme situations involving CR species nearing extinction from
the wild. In all situations however, the client should be undertaking concrete measures to
27
Note that ecological / biophysical processes are not to be confused with ‘ecosystem services’ unless an identifiable group of
persons is directly benefiting from that process as well.
28
Business and Biodiversity Offsets Programme (BBOP). 2009. Glossary. BBOP, Washington, D.C. Available from www.forest-
trends.org/biodiversityoffsetprogram/guidelines/glossary.pdf
147
Guidance Note 6
Resources
promote and further the conservation of the species through a combination of on-site and
offset mitigation measures.
G85. The client shall integrate results from biodiversity monitoring into the project’s overall
Environmental & Social Management System (ESMS). Biodiversity monitoring is often
disjointed from other, more standard monitoring programs such as those developed for
emissions or effluents. The client shall use appropriately qualified experts to develop a set of
sensible biodiversity indicators appropriate to the ecological system in question. For each
indicator, the client shall use qualified expertise to specify thresholds of acceptable levels of
loss (for both species and habitats). Measurable results that exceed identified thresholds
over a set period of time indicate non-compliance with this requirement.
G86. A “robust” biodiversity monitoring program must be a quantitative or semi-

quantitative one and, if practicable, statistically defensible. As there is no way the client
could effectively “guarantee” a priori that there will be “no measurable impacts” on
biodiversity in the long-term, Tthe quality and reliability of the biodiversity monitoring
program is critical. The biodiversity monitoring program must be included as part of the
client’s overall ESMS throughout construction and operations.
G87. In areas of critical habitat, biodiversity offsets should be designed to achieve net
positive gain of the relevant biodiversity values described in paragraph 156. IFC considers
the implementation of biodiversity offsets a fundamental mechanism for achieving
compliance with paragraph 165 of Performance Standard 6.
G88. In areas of critical habitat, and especially relevant to the extractive industries, the
client should establish a reclamation funding mechanism for areas that are disturbed by
project activities. The financing mechanism is described in paragraph GX of this GN for
natural habitats. In critical habitats, the IFC considers such a mechanism particularly
relevant.
G89. The type and nature of the biodiversity offset depends on the critical habitat in
question and should be determined by the client’s biodiversity specialists. As stated for
natural habitats, the Project adhere to the latest thinking on this topic, which has been put
forward by the Business and Biodiversity Offset Program (BBOP).29 As a general note, any
offset attempted in critical habitat, must be of exceptionally high quality, and the long-term
sustainability of such an offset is key.
G90. One of the most important aspects to implementing a biodiversity offset that is
sustainable over the long-term is a conservation financing assessment. Whilst the client may
not know the exact cost of the offset before financial closure, as offset costs depend on a
series of assessments, the client should at least commit to establish an offset funding
mechanism as part of the BAP.
G91. With respect to Tier 1 and Tier 2 habitats for Criteria 1 through 3, the majority of Tier
1 habitats are not considered to be ‘offsetable.’ Critical habitat per Criteria 4 and 5 might
also be very difficult (or impossible) to offset, and this would be determined on a case-by-
case basis. In either case, IFC considers the ‘like-for-like’ (in-kind) or better concept, as
29
http://www.forest-trends.org/biodiversityoffsetprogram/
148
Guidance Note 6
Resources
spelled out in BBOP guidance documents, to be a fundamental requirement of offset design

in critical habitat.30
G92. The client would be expected to demonstrate that the offset measure has the
potential to compensate for the residual impacts on the critical habitat. Actions such as
awareness-raising, environmental education, scientific research and capacity building are
not considered valid offset measures unless there is evidence of on-the-ground measurable
conservation outcomes pertaining directly to the critical habitat. In the majority of cases,
these types of activities would be considered additional benefits above and beyond
compliance.
G93. Partnership with relevant credible organizations/authorities with scientific expertise in

offset planning, design and management is highly encouraged. Equally important is the
potential to realistically implement the offset and ensure that it is maintained for the long-
term. Government buy-in, including a legally binding commitment, is of high importance to
this end.
G22.G94. Clients with marked internal capacity are encouraged to implement additional
programs in critical habitats such as awareness-raising, the promotion of scientific research
in understudied areas or the development of public-private partnerships to define regional
sustainability goals for biodiversity conservation.
Legally Pprotected and Designated Areas

14.17. In circumstances where a proposed project is located within a legally protected
11 12
area, or an internationally designated area, the client, in addition to the applicable
13
requirements of paragraphs 12, 13 and 15 10 above, will meet the following requirements:
Demonstrate that any proposed development in such areas is legally permitted
Act in a manner consistent with any government recognized defined protected area
management plans for such areas
_____________________
11
Includes areas proposed by governments for such designation.
12
Including This includes UNESCO World Heritage Site, UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserves, Key
Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and wetlands designated under the Convention on Wetlands of International
Importance (the Ramsar Convention).
13
If the primary management objectives of the legally protected or designated area are comparable with the
management objectives as described for IUCN Management Categories Ia, Ib and Category II when these
areas are designated for the protection or conservation of biodiversity.
Consult protected area sponsors and managers, local communities, Indigenous

Peoples and other key stakeholders on the proposed project, as appropriate
Implement additional programs, as appropriate, to promote and enhance the
conservation aims and effective management of the protected or designated area
G23.G95. Per[LAC8]formance Standard 6 specifies additional measures for projects located

in legally protected areas (including and areas officially proposed for protection) and
internationally designated areas. The client should ensure that project activities are consistent
with any national land use, resource use, and management criteria (including Protected Area
Management Plans, National Biodiversity Action Plans or similar documents). This will entail
securing the necessary approvals from the responsible government agencies, and consulting
30
’Like for like’ or ‘in-kind’ is defined here as conservation (through the biodiversity offset) of the same type of biodiversity values as
that affected by the project.
149
Guidance Note 6
Resources
with protected area sponsors and the local communities, including communities of Indigenous
Peoples, and other key stakeholders. Additional requirements and guidance for appropriate
consultation are outlined in paragraphs X19 through 2X3 of Performance Standard 1,
Performance Standard 7 with respect to Indigenous Peoples, and Performance Standard 8 with
respect to cultural heritage, and the accompanying Guidance Notes.
G96. In the event that a project is proposed inside a legally protected area or an
internationally designated areas, it should bring financial or other tangible benefits to the
protected area such that the conservation role of the protected area is enhanced and there are
clear conservation advantages gained by the presence of the project. This can be achieved
through implementing programs that, for example, provide support for park management,
address alternative livelihoods for local residents, or carry out research needed for the
conservation aims of the protected area.
G97. If no management plan exists for the protected or designated area, the client may
waywant to consider funding the development of one with the suitable government agencies
and conservation organizations. This type of activity might also suffice as the “additional
program” if developed and/or implemented in a way that involved endorsement by relevant
stakeholders.
G98. The client should consult the United Nations list of protected areas to identify if the
project is located in or near a listed protected area.31
Invasive Alien Species

15.18. Intentional or accidental introduction of alien, or non-native, species of flora and
fauna into areas where they are not normally found can be a significant threat to
biodiversity, since some alien species can become invasive, spreading rapidly and out-
competing native species.
19. The client will not intentionally introduce any new alien species (not currently
established in the country or region of the project) unless this is carried out in accordance
with the existing regulatory framework for such introduction, if such framework is present.
All introductions of alien species will be, or is subject to a risk assessment (as part of the
client’s sSocial and eEnvironmental Assessmentrisks and impacts identification process) to
determine the potential for invasive behavior. The client will not deliberately introduce any
alien species with a high risk of invasive behavior or any known invasive species and will
exercise diligence to prevent. The client will implement measures to avoid the potential for
accidental or unintended introductions including transportation of substrates and vectors
(such as soil, ballast, and plant materials) which may harbor invasive alien species. (as part
of the client’s Social and Environmental Assessment).
16.20. Where invasive alien species are already established in the country or region of the
proposed project, the client will exercise diligence in not spreading them into areas in which
they have not already been established, and, as practicable, eradicating such species from
the natural habitats in which the client has management control.
G99. An alien plant or animal species is one that is introduced beyond its original range of
distribution. Invasive alien species are non-nativealien species that may become invasive or
31
This information could be accessed through the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) made available by UNEP World
Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC).
150
Guidance Note 6
Resources
spread rapidly by out-competing other native plants and animals when they are introduced into
a new habitat that lacks their traditional controlling factors. Invasive alien species are now
recognized to be a major threat to biodiversity globally, as well as to ecosystem services.
G100. The client shall take all preventive measures designed to reduce the risk of
transportation or transmission of invasive alien plant or animal species, pests, or living modified
organisms through its activities.
G101. The introduction of any new alien species as part of the client’s operations should be
assessed for compliance with the existing host country regulatory framework for such
introductions. The client will not intentionally introduce any new alien species (not currently
established in the country or region of the project) unless this is carried out in accordance with
the existing regulatory framework for such introduction, if such framework is present. If not, a
risk assessment should be conducted on the invasiveness of the species, in coordination with
recognized experts of the particular species in question.
The introduction of any new alien species as part of the client’s operations should be assessed
for compliance with the existing host country regulatory framework for such introductions. If
such a regulatory framework does not exist in the host country, the client should assess the
potential impacts of the introduction as part of the client’s Assessment, as explained, paying
specific attention to the potential for invasive behavior, and identify any appropriate mitigation
measures to be included as part of the Biodiversity Acti
G24.G102. With respect to the international shipping of goods and services, clients are
expected to comply with appropriate obligations developed in the framework of the International
Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments Convention
(i.e. the Ballast Water Management Convention [BWM]). Clients should also refer to Guidelines
for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water to Minimize the Transfer of Harmful
Aquatic Organisms and Pathogens, published by the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
(1998)32.
G25. If not regulated under applicable laws or international agreements, clients engaged in
shipping and other transportation sectors should identify and implement specific procedures in
the Action Plan and exercise diligence to prevent the accidental transportation and introduction
of invasive alien plants and animals.
G25.G103. Genetically-modified organisms, or GMOs (also known as Living Modified
Organisms or LMOs), can also be considered to be alien species, with similar potential for
invasive behavior as well as potential for gene flow to related species. Any new introduction of
such organisms should be assessed in a manner consistent with the approach described in
paragraph G24 above, with due regard to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (see the
Reference section of this Guidance Note).
G104. Despite the risk assessment and the existing regulatory framework, accidental
introduction from invasive fauna and flora species are extremely difficult to predict. The clients
should design an Invasive Species, Pests and Pathogens Management Plan, which specifies
mitigation measures such as inspection, washdown and quarantine procedures specifically
designed to address the spread of invasives. Alternatively, and depending on the risk of the
threat, these actions could be included as part of the Biodiversity Management Plan (see Annex
A). These types of mitigation measures are essential when the project includes a linear
infrastructure through natural and/or critical habitat, such as a pipeline right-of-way or a road or
rail development, as the project will likely traverse, and link, several habitats through one
corridor, providing optimal means for a species to quickly spread through the region.
32
http://www.mdnautical.com/imom.environment.htm
151
Guidance Note 6
Resources
G105. In many cases, invasive species will have already been established in the region in
which the project is located. In these cases, the client has the responsibility to take measures to
prevent the species from further spreading into areas in which it has not already been
established. For example, in the case of linear infrastructures, invasive weeds might be spread
into forested habitats, especially if the forest canopy is not able to reestablish itself (due to
maintenance of the right-of-way for operational purposes) and/or when opportunistic agricultural
or logging activities further widen the right-of-way, thereby facilitating spread. In these cases,
the client should also conduct an assessment to determine the severity of the threat, the mode
of spread of that species. Mitigation measures should be adopted as necessary.
Management and Use of Renewable Natural Resources
21. Renewable natural resources are broadly defined to include natural and plantation
forests, soil-based agriculture for annual and perennial crops, aquaculture, and capture
14
fisheries. The client will manage renewable natural resources in a sustainable manner. .
Where possible, the client will demonstrate the sustainable management of the resources
through an appropriate system of independent certification. available, the client will verify
sustainable management practices through independent certification to an internationally-
recognized standard. Applicable international standards are those developed that are
objective and achievable, are founded on a continuous consultative process with relevant
15
stakeholders, and are applied through independent and accredited certifying bodies.
17.22. In particular, plantations, forests and aquatic systems are principal providers of
natural resources, and need to be managed as specified below.
Natural and Plantations and Natural Forests[LAC9]

18.23. Clients involved in any plantation development, including forest plantations, or in
natural forest harvesting or plantation development will not cause any conversion or
16
degradation of critical habitat or areas identified as High Conservation Value (HCV). Where
feasible, the client will locate plantation projects on modified habitat unforested land or land
already converted (excluding land that is converted in anticipation of the project). Clients
will respect cut-off dates for conversion of natural habitats established by applicable
standards and certification systems. In addition, the client will ensure that all natural forests
and forest plantations over which they have management control employ sustainable
management practices that are verified through are independently certificatoioned asin
meeting performance standards conditions compatible with internationally accepted
17
principles and criteria for sustainable forest management. Where a pre-assessment
determines that the operation does not yet meet the requirements of such an independent
forest certification system, the client will develop and adhere to a time-bound, phased
action plan for achieving such certification.
Freshwater and Marine Systems

19.24. Clients involved in the production and harvesting of fish populations or other
aquatic species must demonstrate that their activities are being undertaken in a sustainable
_____________________
14
Renewable natural resources includes only “living” or “biotic” resources. It does not include solar, wind or
water resources, for example.
15
The An appropriate certification system would be one which is independent, cost-effective, based on
objective and measurable performance standards and developed through consultation with relevant
stakeholders, such as local people and communities, indigenous peoples, civil society organizations
152
Guidance Note 6
Resources
representing consumer, producer, and conservation interests. Such a system has fair, transparent, independent
decision-making procedures that avoid conflicts of interest.
16
HCV areas are land areas identified using internationally recognized guidelines as provided by the HCV
Resource Network.
17
Such See footnote 7.
manner, as verified through independent certification to an through application of an

internationally accepted standardsystem of independent certification, if available, or
through appropriate studies carried out in conjunction with the sSocial and eEnvironmental
aAssessment pprocess.
G106. In situations where renewable natural resources are harvested directly by the client, the
client should demonstrate that such resources are being managed in a sustainable fashion. For
some resources, such as forests, this can be demonstrated by independent certification is
available and should be used to according to a certification scheme that meets the requirements
under Performance Standard 6 and and deemed acceptable by IFC, as outlined in Annex C. In
the absence of a suitable certification system for harvested other types of resources,
sustainable natural resource management can be demonstrated through an independent
evaluation of the client’s management practices or an independent evaluation of the status of
the resource populations in question.
G26. Additional detail on certification requirements is presented in Annex C.

G107. G28. A number of international multistakeholder initiatives are underway in large
commodity sectors, such as palm oil, soy and sugarcane, with the objective of making these
sectors more sustainable throughout their supply chain. These initiatives aim to set performance
targets for the sector, identifying and promoting better management practices. Being a member
of the roundtables help companies improve their environmental and social performance, reduce
production costs, improve supply security, and calculate and manage risk and as such, clients
working with these commodities are encouraged to participate. CThe initiatives are intended to
be voluntary in nature (not required by Performance Standard 6), and supplement any existing
government regulations. IFC is a member of, and supports, the commodity roundtables include
of palm oil (RSPO - Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil), soy beans (RTRS - Round Table on
Responsible Soy) and sugarcane (BSI - Better Sugarcane Initiative). See the "Reference
Materials" section of this document for links to the initiative websites.
G108. In order to prevent the conversion or degradation of critical habitat and areas of HCV,
the client should (i) not harvest timber or non-timber forest products from these areas, or
otherwise disturb, any critical habitat or HCV areas (such as through road building or other
infrastructure construction processing facilities)
G27. ; and (ii) obtain independent certification of forestry operations owned or managed over
a long-term through a concession or similar arrangement by the client. Criteria on which to
base an assessment of a certification system (including the defined standards of responsible
forest management) are presented in Annex C.G30. Clients who purchase timber or non-
timber forest products from third parties, such as wholesalers, retailers or independent
harvesting companies, should seek to ensure to the extent possible that such timber or non-
timber forest products are independently certified as being sourced from sustainably managed
forests. Recognizing that in many circumstances the client may have little or no leverage over
the management of the forests from which these timber or non-timber forest products are
153
Guidance Note 6
Resources
sourced, the client should, as a minimum, implement policies and procedures to ensure that
such timber or non-timber forest products are at least legally produced and traded.
Implementation of a policy for the preferential purchasing of certified timber or non-timber forest
products will also help meet the requirements of this Performance Standard.
G109. G31. If certified timber or non-timber forest products are available, the client should
obtain chain-of-custody certification to demonstrate that the integrity of the certified timber is
maintained throughout its processing.
G28.G110. Wherever feasible, the client should site plantation projects on

degradedunforested land or land that has been already converted. The client should not
establish plantation forests in critical habitat or in areas of HCV, and should not adversely
impact any adjacent or downstream critical habitat or areas of HCV. Therefore, prior to
establishing a plantation, the client should assess the proposed plantation location in order to
identify any critical habitat or areas of HCV, and prepare and implement a plan to manage and
conserve any such areas under the client’s control. The client should only convert non-critical
habitat if it is allowed by host country laws and regulations and is consistent with the
requirements of Performance Standard 6 and the outcome and recommendations of the
Assessment. Certification of sustainable forestry management on timber plantations is required
under the same conditions as those described for natural forests.
G33. In order to prevent the over-harvesting of wild fish, shellfish stocks, and other
marine or freshwater resources (e.g., algae, other invertebrates, corals) and the conversion
of or damage to aquatic habitats, the client should: (i) not harvest aquatic products from, or
otherwise disturb, any critical habitat; and (ii) obtain independent certification, if available,
that they meet acceptable standards of responsible management and harvesting for that
resource. Criteria on which to base an assessment of a certification system are presented
in Annex C.
Supply Chain
20.25. Where the resource utilized is ecologically sensitive, clients should give preference
18
to purchasing products, including renewable natural resources, from primary suppliers
that have verified sustainable management practices. The adverse impacts associated with
ecologically sensitive supply chains will be considered where there is a potential risk that
primary suppliers are overexploiting areas of critical habitat or HCV.
_____________________
18
Primary suppliers are first-tier suppliers who are providing goods or materials essential for the core business
function.
As also described in Guidance Note 2, supply chain refers to both labor and material
inputs of a good or service. A supply chain of goods may include suppliers of raw
material/natural resources and suppliers of pieces or components for assembly and production.
The supply chain of multinational corporations can be extensive and may be global in nature,
whereas the supply chain of national or smaller enterprises will be smaller in scale and may be
local in nature, involving local contractors, subcontractors, and homeworkers. Women play a
key role in global supply chains and are among the most vulnerable and marginalized workers
in the supply chain.
G111. Where information is available, or should have been available, to the client that adverse
impacts are being incurred to areas of high biodiversity or conservation value (i.e., Critical
Habitat per PS6 or HCV areas) in the primary supply chain of goods or materials which are used
in the core function of the business, the client should review its supply chain for potential
154
Guidance Note 6
Resources
adverse impacts and identify any risks to the client and the project, as part of the Assessment
process. It is good practice for the client to address biodiversity and sustainable management of
renewable natural resource issues, particularly those issues specified in Performance Standard
6, in its supply chain by exercising control and influence over the supplier of materials and
items, commensurate with the level of risks and impacts.
G29.G112. Clients[LAC10] who purchase timber or non-timber forest products from third
parties, such as wholesalers, retailers or independent harvesting companies, should seek to
ensure to the extent possible that such timber or non-timber forest products are independently
certified as being sourced from sustainably managed forests. Recognizing that in many
circumstances the client may have little or no leverage over the management of the forests from
which these timber or non-timber forest products are sourced, the client should, as a minimum,
implement policies and procedures to ensure that such timber or non-timber forest products
come from legal origins. Implementation of a policy for the preferential purchasing of certified
timber or non-timber forest products will also help meet the requirements of this Performance
Standard.
155
Guidance Note 6
Resources
Annex A
Biodiversity Action Plans

Developing a Biodiversity Action Plan / Biodiversity Management Plan
Where recognized biodiversity attributes of importance exist in the project site, or in certain
instances, in the project’s Area of Influence, the preparation of a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP)
and/or a Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP)33 might be necessary to focus additional
attention and resources to manage project-related impacts. The development of a BAP / BMP
may be necessary to meet the client’s own biodiversity policy, or it may be requested by the IFC
or a third-party auditor to meet the requirements of Performance Standard 6. In certain
instances, a government agency, conservation NGO or other external party might be interested
in the development of a BAP/BMP in order to address specific issues of interest.
A stand-alone BAP / BMP is beneficial as it sends a clear message to external parties of

the intentions of the client when operating in sensitive habitats. The incorporation of biodiversity-
related mitigation and management measures within a more general Environmental
Management Plans is also an option, but there is a risk to the client that commitments may
appear watered down or may not be as apparent. This is especially relevant in areas of
internationally recognized importance to biodiversity or areas with particularly sensitive risks due
to local communities’ dependence on such resources. The stand-alone plan offers an additional
level of assurance as to the client’s intentions in such areas and the importance they ascribe to
sensitive biodiversity resources.
The development of a BAP / BMP will be essential in most critical habitats, and may be
required for operating in natural and modified habitats depending on the context.
Difference between a Biodiversity Action Plan and a Biodiversity Management Plan
The BAP would be required if there are information gaps in the client’s initial Environmental
and Social Assessment Process. Information gaps may have been caused by numerous factors,
some of which include the following: (i) inadequate amount of baseline data or analysis of
baseline data; (ii) omission or oversight of important biodiversity attributes from baseline (iii)
inability to collect adequate data due to time and/or seasonal constraints; (iv) inadequate
consultation with external stakeholders in identifying sensitive biodiversity attributes; and (v)
inadequate or incomplete impact analysis on sensitive receptors; (vii) inadequate identification
of mitigation measures, including biodiversity offsets; and, (viii) inadequate definition of
biodiversity monitoring requirements. In either case, the objective of the BAP is to remedy the
situation by identifying corrective action measures.
A BAP might also be necessary in instances where the client lacks a comprehensive and
integrated strategy for managing biodiversity. For example, the client might have conducted an
exceptional ESIA that contains extensive baseline data and includes an elaborate impact
assessment, but nonetheless, the client’s overall approach for biodiversity management
remains unclear. In these cases, and especially relevant to large infrastructure projects such as
oil & gas and mining, the intention of the BAP would be ‘bring the pieces together’ in developing
an overall framework for managing biodiversity issues in the long term.
33
Often called a Ecological Management Plan (EMP)
156
Guidance Note 6
Resources
The BMP would be developed when the baseline, impact assessment and proposed
mitigation measures, including on-site and biodiversity offsets, are perceived as adequate by
the IFC, any third-party auditors and/or by relevant stakeholders and the only remaining issue is
to collate such information into one implementable and auditable plan. Essential to the BMP is
that, although it is a stand-alone document, the commitments it contains are integrated into the
client’s Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS).
Biodiversity monitoring requirements might also be incorporated into the BMP, but often the
design of a sufficient biodiversity monitoring program involves considerably more innovation
than monitoring for other environmental impacts such as effluents and air emissions where
standard monitoring standardized methods and thresholds are readily available. The
development of an adequate biodiversity monitoring program might then be an action item
included in the BAP. Once the monitoring program is sufficiently developed to meet the
requirements of PS6, as determined by the IFC, it could be incorporated the BMP. Biodiversity
monitoring is also mentioned below in this Annex.
Development of Biodiversity Action Plan
Numerous examples and guidance could be found in the literature on developing BAPs for
public sector agencies, but these are of little value to private sector entities. The International
Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA) developed A Guide to
Developing Biodiversity Action Plans for the Oil and Gas Sector34, and this is one of the few
publically available guidance documents specific to the private sector. Although intended for the
oil and gas sector, certain information provided in this document is relevant to other industries.
Certain sections from other good practice guidance documents might also be relevant to
the development of a BAP. For example, if the purpose of the BAP is to address gaps in
baseline data collection, the client might refer to the guidelines provided in paragraph G6Section
X.X of GN6. In general the scope and intention of the BAP will vary depending on the (i)
industry, (ii) project type, (iii) biodiversity resources present and sensitivity of those resources,
(iv) issue of relevance (e.g., data gap, inadequate mitigation, inadequate monitoring).
As mentioned, the BAP will comprise a set of actions to be carried out by the client. As
some of the actions might be carried out after IFC has entered into a contractual arrangement
with the client, one of the most important elements of the BAP is the definition of the agreed
goal, based on a set of objectives. The goal and objective(s) must be feasible and developed
with the input of relevant scientific experts and other stakeholders, including government
agencies, local/international conservation NGOs and/or local communities. For example, if the
purpose of the BAP is to develop a biodiversity offset in critical habitat, the goal might be to
design an offset that satisfies the “no measurable adverse impacts of….[the biodiversity values
of interest]” clause of critical habitat. The purpose of the BAP is clearly not to include a lofty goal
with the sole motive to move project activities forward. The goal/objectives must be based on
consultation with relevant experts.
For each objective, the BAP should outline a series of actions. The actions should be
reviewed and approved by a relevant stakeholder group with local, expert knowledge of the
area. For each action, the BAP should identify completion indicators, define the responsible
party, and set a timeframe.
34
http://www.ipieca.org/activities/biodiversity/downloads/publications/baps.pdf
157
Guidance Note 6
Resources
For some actions, such as a completion of a baseline, once the action has been completed,
there might not be the need for immediate follow-up. For other actions, such as the design of
the biodiversity offset or the biodiversity monitoring plan, might require their own separate
implementation plan, in which case the concept of the Biodiversity Management Plan becomes
helpful.
Development of Biodiversity Management Plan
The Biodiversity (or Ecological) Management Plan should function in exactly the same
manner as any other management plan that considers social and environmental impacts. The
plan should include a series of mitigation items, responsibilities for their implementation, the
schedule for implementation (e.g., weekly, monthly, biannual), responsible party, and monitoring
requirements. It is crucial that the Plan is considered as part of the Project’s overall
Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) and is not an outlier to that system. For
further information, the client should refer to the Integrating Biodiversity into Environmental
Management Systems, published by the Energy and Biodiversity Initiative35.
For items such as a Biodiversity Offset, the Management Plan might take the form of an
Implementation Plan, which could be quite elaborate. In these cases, external expertise will be
required to develop such a plan as a third-party will likely be responsible for implementation the
offset. The client should refer to the Biodiversity Offset Implementation Handbook as developed
by the Business and Biodiversity Offsets Program (Forest Trends, 2009)36.
In critical habitats, biodiversity monitoring will be required to ensure that the overall
functionally and integrity of the ecosystem in question is not compromised (and, therefore, so
that the ‘no measurable adverse impact’ is upheld). In these cases, the biodiversity monitoring
plan will likely be a separate, self-standing document that may not form a part of the Biodiversity
Management Plan. In either case, biodiversity monitoring activities must e integrated into the
project’s ESMS. The same for biodiversity offsets is true of biodiversity monitoring – the client
will almost always need to retain qualified experts to design adequate monitoring programs. For
further information, the client should refer to the Biodiversity Indicators for Monitoring Impacts
and Conservation Actions, published by the Energy and Biodiversity Initiative37.
Biodiversity Management, in general, for any site, must be considered as part of an

adaptive management process. While this is relevant to all environmental and social impacts, it
is particularly relevant to biodiversity given that, in the majority of the cases, it is extremely
difficult to predict the outcomes of a project on the ecosystem, especially functionally and
structurally complex ecosystems and ones that are particularly vulnerable to external threats.
The project should be evaluating findings from the monitoring program and adapting
management and mitigation responses as necessary to more effectively ensure the protection
of the biodiversity attributes in question.
In situations where there are recognized to be significant biodiversity issues associated with an
investment, the preparation of a Biodiversity Action Plan is a valuable process which focuses
the client’s attention on the details of identifying and handling biodiversity issues in a
comprehensive fashion. The Plan is usually carried out as an integral part of the project’s
35
http://www.theebi.org/products.html
36
http://bbop.forest-trends.org/guidelines/
37
http://www.theebi.org/products.html
158
Guidance Note 6
Resources
Social and Environmental Assessment, and integrated into the assessment documentation.
The Plan will:
Assess how proposed activities affect biodiversity and renewable natural resources
Determine how biodiversity and renewable natural resources can be managed as
part of the client’s activities and how adverse impacts can be mitigated
Identify responsibilities (internally and externally) and resources for management and
mitigation
The scope and the content of the Plan will vary, depending on the size and scale of the
business and the physical location in which it is operating. The scale, depth and complexity of
the Plan will therefore be defined on a case-by-case basis, but the following components should
be present in all Plans.
Baseline Review and Impact Assessment: Baseline review involves the collection of relevant
information. This phase should customarily be integrated into the Assessment process, as per
Performance Standard 1. The review should consider:
What biological and other natural resources will be affected by the proposed activity
(including short-term, long term and cumulative impacts)
Who has legitimate interests in and responsibilities for these resources, and who
represents those interests
Whether there are there already biodiversity (or other natural resources)
management plans that cover the area of operations
What the key environmental and social issues are for the area (and whether these
will affect biodiversity plans that the client is developing)
In situations where projects are being developed in locations where little is known about the
range and importance of biodiversity, but where it is likely to be significant, a rapid assessment
program may be appropriate. Rapid appraisals are increasingly used as the first stage of a
comprehensive biodiversity assessment. They utilize a combination of international and local
expertise to undertake an initial assessment of the biological value of poorly known areas
(including assessment of the value of biodiversity to local communities, Indigenous Peoples,
and other resource dependent peoples).
Defining Scope of the Plan: When sufficient information on biodiversity and natural resources
has been gathered and agreement has been reached on the likely impacts of client operations,
as well as an understanding of wider impacts on natural resources that may become apparent,
the client must decide the scope and scale of the plan, and its timescale. This will be informed
by a range of factors including:
Regulatory and compliance expectations

Business drivers - for example the Plan might be influenced by the need to ensure
raw material supply or services (including water and soil), address reputational risks
or secure and maintain a local license to operate
The need to engage and consult with other stakeholders (particularly local
communities) who use or have interests in the biodiversity and natural resources that
will be affected by client operations
159
Guidance Note 6
Resources
Clients will need to demonstrate how they will avoid significant adverse impacts (demonstrating
compliance with IFC’s performance standards should ensure this). Impacts should be avoided
where possible, reduced and mitigated where avoidance is not practical, and offset where
impacts are unavoidable (offsetting might include purchase and management of other areas that
have similar biodiversity). Opportunities for enhancing biodiversity (through active management
of natural habitats) should also be considered, as appropriate to the specific circumstances.
Establishment of Objectives, Targets, and Responsibilities: The Plan should identify detailed
objectives and targets which specify the desired outcomes. Targets should be prioritized,
discussed with relevant stakeholders, realistic and time-bound. Clients may choose to use
indicators to monitor progress towards targets and objectives as well as to measure
performance in their achievement. Indicators can be set at site and company levels depending
on needs. Site-based indicators are used for measuring impacts in and around project sites and
reporting on the impact of biodiversity management efforts at specific locations or as part of
specific business activities (e.g., impacts of supply chains). Company-level indicators may
reflect a more process-oriented set of targets–such as the delivery of strategic policy
commitments (e.g., training programs for staff, number of sites with active biodiversity action
plans).
Overall, the indicators should have the following attributes:
Focus on factors that have the greatest impacts on biodiversity (these may be direct
or indirect impacts)
Reflect the key risk management needs of the site or the company’s operations
Reflect both positive and negative impacts
Be quantitative where possible and be practical in terms of the collection of data/
monitoring
Biodiversity objectives should, to the extent possible, be aligned with and integrated into wider
business objectives and targets. The “mainstreaming” of biodiversity objectives increases the
likelihood of their successful implementation and ensures that biodiversity impacts which will
affect business prospects and the long term viability of client operations are seen as an integral
part of core business decision-making. Responsibilities for specific outcomes and reporting
lines need to be defined. Where there is an existing social and environmental management
system, there will be opportunities to explore how biodiversity objectives and targets can be
integrated into the existing social and environmental management system since this can
increase cost efficiencies and effective delivery of biodiversity objectives and targets.
160
Annex B
Habitat Decision Framework S&EA PROCESS FIGURE DELELTED
No plans to reinsert similar figure

No plans to replace Annex C
Intentions to develop instead an “Ecosystems Service Review” AnnexAnnex C

Certification of Natural Resource Management
Independent certification of sustainable resource management is a valuable tool for clients to

demonstrate that they are meeting high standards for resource management. A variety of
certification systems have been or are now in a state of active development.
General IFC Requirements: When IFC requires that a sponsor demonstrate compliance
through certification, generally the certification system should:
Be independent, cost-effective, and based on objective and measurable performance

standards that are defined at the national level and are compatible with
internationally accepted principles and criteria for responsible management and use
Require independent, third-party assessment of management performance
Have standards which are developed through a process of consultation and dialogue
that included representatives from the private, public and civil society sectors
Have decision-making procedures which are fair, transparent, independent, and
designed to avoid conflicts of interest
In the absence of an acceptable certification system operational for the particular resource in
the country concerned, the client should:
Commit to operating in a fashion consistent with accepted international principles or

practice, as shown through regular independent audits against a generic set of
principles and criteria acceptable to IFC
Actively engage in the development of a national standard, to the extent appropriate
for the client
Commit to achieving certification when an acceptable certification system is
developed for the resource and country concerned
If an acceptable certification system exists, but the client does not meet the requirements for
certification, the client will commit to improving its operations to meet the certification
requirements, and will provide a time-bound, phased action plan acceptable to IFC so that it
meets the requirements for certification within a set period of time.
Forests and Plantations: Certification processes are currently most advanced within the forest
products sector. This sector is most likely to rely on certification to demonstrate that its
operations meet the IFC requirements. To be acceptable to IFC, forest certification systems
must meet the general requirements listed above. In addition, forest certification systems
should include the following aspects:
Compliance with relevant law

Respect for any customary land tenure and use rights of Indigenous Peoples
Respect for the rights of workers for the forest enterprise, including sub-contracted
workers, and compliance with occupational health and safety measures (consistent
with the requirements in Performance Standard 2)
Incorporation of measures to maintain or enhance sound and effective community
engagement, including an appropriate level of engagement with relevant
stakeholders
162
The conservation of biodiversity, including protection of endangered species and
ecological functions
Inclusion of measures to maintain or enhance environmentally-sound multiple
benefits accruing from the forest
Prevention or minimization of adverse environmental and social impacts of forest use
Effective forest management planning
Active monitoring and assessment of relevant forest management areas
Maintenance of critical habitat affected by the forestry operations
Marine and Freshwater Resource Harvesting: Certification systems for capture fisheries and
aquaculture operations are under development or in the early stages of implementation. To be
acceptable to IFC, certification systems for such natural resources should meet the general
requirements listed above, along with requirements for the specific natural resource comparable
to those for Forests and Plantations.
References
Several of the requirements set out in the Performance Standard relate to standards set by the
following international agreements:
Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) - provides information on the convention,

lists of signatory nations and biodiversity experts and other useful information.
http://www.biodiv.org/default.aspx
Ramsar Convention - The Convention on Wetlands, Iran (1971), is an

intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and
international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their
resources. There are presently 140 Contracting Parties to the Convention, with 1374
wetland sites, totaling 121.4 million hectares, designated for inclusion in the Ramsar
List of Wetlands of International Importance. http://www.ramsar.org/
CITES - The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild

Fauna and Flora is an international agreement aimed at ensuring that international
trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
Around 25,000 plant species and 5,000 animal species are covered by the provisions
of the Convention. The CITES website provides substantial resources on
endangered species. http://www.cites.org/index.html
World Heritage Convention - The Convention Concerning the Protection of World

Cultural and Natural Heritage (UNESCO, 1972). It aims to identify and conserve the
world’s cultural and natural heritage. Its World Heritage List contains sites of
outstanding cultural and natural value. www.unesco.org/whc
Convention on Migratory Species (Bonn Convention) – The Convention on Migratory

Species (CMS) is an intergovernmental treaty which aims to conserve terrestrial,
marine and avian migratory species throughout their range. The CMS website
includes information on species covered by the Convention and on other supporting
international agreements. http://www.cms.int/index.html
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety – The Cartagena Protocol is an international

agreement on biosafety, as a supplement to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
http://www.cbd.int/biosafety/default.shtml
163
In addition, the guidance and recommendations issued by the following organizations provide
useful information:
A Guide to the Convention on Biological Diversity (IUCN) – provides analysis on the
Convention for those involved in the implementation of the Convention
Glowka, L, et al., (1994), A Guide to the Convention on Biological Diversity, IUCN
Gland and Cambridge. xii + 161pp., 2nd printing 1996
World Conservation Union (IUCN) -- provides useful information on endangered

species (http://www.redlist.org/), protected areas (http://www.iucn.org/themes/wcpa/),
conservation and biodiversity expertise and other biodiversity and natural resources
issues.
World Conservation Union (IUCN) -- The IUCN Guidelines for Protected Area
Management Categories (1994) also provides useful information on protected areas
and outlines a number of distinct categories of protected areas.
http://app.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/1994-007-En.pdf
World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) – provides information on

biodiversity, habitats and species, as well as protected areas, conservation
legislation and related issues. http://www.unep-wcmc.org/
Global Environment Facility (GEF), established in 1991, helps developing countries

fund projects and programs that protect the global environment. GEF grants support
projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land
degradation, the ozone layer, and persistent organic pollutants. IFC works with GEF
to assist IFC clients to protect and enhance global biodiversity benefits associated
with their operations. http://www.gefweb.org/
The Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP) was established in 1997 to address
global threats caused by Invasive Alien Species (IAS), and to provide support to the
implementation of Article 8(h) of the Convention on Biological Diversity. GISP
maintains a website with links to databases and related information on invasive
species. www.gisp.org
The World Bank-WWF Alliance for Forest Conservation and Sustainable Use
maintains a website which includes information on the identification and conservation
of high conservation value forests and forest certification systems.
www.forest-alliance.org
Birdlife International – Birdlife International is a global partnership of conservation

organizations that focuses on conservation of birds, bird habitat and global biodiversity.
Birdlife International makes available data on endangered bird species and important
bird areas through its publications and on-line database. http://www.birdlife.org/
FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – FAO is the UN
agency which specializes in agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Their website provides
information on biodiversity aspects in food and agriculture, including aspects related
to agro-ecosystems and biotechnology. http://www.fao.org/biodiversity/
164
The International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) provides a variety of
resources on the impact assessment process, including a special publication on
Biodiversity in Impact Assessment. http://www.iaia.org/
IFC’s Biodiversity Guide - provides further information to guide IFC clients in the
development of Biodiversity Action Plans and also provides further information on
how businesses can address biodiversity in their business activities.
http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/enviro.nsf/Content/BiodiversityGuide
The HCV High Conservation Value Resource Network - developed by WWF, provides
useful tools and information in assessing conservation value and critical habitats.
http://www.hcvnetwork.org/
See the following websites for additional information on commodity roundtables:
Better Sugarcane Initiative (BSI)

http://www.bettersugarcane.org/
Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS)

http://www.responsiblesoy.org/
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)

http://www.rspo.org/
165

Guidance Note 6 - REV - 0 - Tracked Changes

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originalbeschreibung:

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Guidance Note 6 - REV - 0 - Tracked Changes

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Biodiversity Conservation and

G1. Biological diversity or biodiversity is recognized as an integrating concept that includes

4. In order to avoid, and if avoidance is not possible then to or reduceminimize and

Voluntary Guidelines on Biodiversity-inclusive Environmental Impact Assessment

G7.G10. Assessment of biodiversity impacts can inform decisions on project alternatives.

Regulating ecosystem services include functions which buffer anthropogenically-

The Corporate Ecosystem Services Review: Guidelines for Identifying Business

Protection and Conservation of Biodiversity

G11. In projects with significant biodiversity issues (e.g. sensitive habitats or

6.7. Habitat is defined as a terrestrial, freshwater, or marine geographical unit or an airway

G16. Performance Standard 6 requires that any significant conversion or degradation of

G17. Mitigation measures should be developed to address the potential impacts on

G18.G37. Mitigation measures in natural habitat should be adequately supported by

G45. In order to facilitate internal decision-making, and as presented in the forthcoming

Critical Habitat Criteria

Criterion 1: Critically Endangered and/or Endangered Species

Criterion 1: Critically Endangered and Endangered Species

G57. Tier 1 sub-criteria for Criterion 1 are defined as follows:

Habitat required to sustain ≥ 10 percent of the global population of an IUCN Red-

G58. Tier 2 sub-criteria for Criterion 1 are defined as follows:

Criterion 2: Endemic and Restricted-range Species

G61. A restricted-range species is defined as follows. 8

For terrestrial vertebrates, a restricted-range species is defined as those species

G63. The Tier 1 sub-criterion for Criterion 2 are defined as follows:

Habitat known to sustain ≥ 95 percent of the global population of an endemic or

G64. Tier 2 sub-criteria for Criterion 2 are defined as follows:

Criterion 3: Migratory and Congregatory Species

G70. The Tier 2 sub-criteria for Criterion 3 are defined as follows:

Criterion 4: Regionally Unique and Highly Threatened Ecosystems

G74. Land areas determined to be ‘irreplaceable’ based on systematic conservation

Criterion 5: Key Evolutionary Processes

Measurable: Identified using a quantitative or semi-quantitative biodiversity

Adverse impacts: Project-related direct or indirect impacts that irreversibly alter

Ecological processes: Biophysical processes (e.g., hydrologic regimes, local

Net Reduction: A singular or cumulative loss of individuals that impacts on the

Mitigation Hierarchy: See definition provided for Avoidance, Minimization,

G86. A “robust” biodiversity monitoring program must be a quantitative or semi-

spelled out in BBOP guidance documents, to be a fundamental requirement of offset design

G93. Partnership with relevant credible organizations/authorities with scientific expertise in

Legally Pprotected and Designated Areas

Consult protected area sponsors and managers, local communities, Indigenous

G23.G95. Per[LAC8]formance Standard 6 specifies additional measures for projects located

Invasive Alien Species

Management and Use of Renewable Natural Resources

Natural and Plantations and Natural Forests[LAC9]

Freshwater and Marine Systems

manner, as verified through independent certification to an through application of an

G26. Additional detail on certification requirements is presented in Annex C.

G28.G110. Wherever feasible, the client should site plantation projects on

Biodiversity Action Plans

A stand-alone BAP / BMP is beneficial as it sends a clear message to external parties of

Difference between a Biodiversity Action Plan and a Biodiversity Management Plan

Development of Biodiversity Action Plan

Development of Biodiversity Management Plan

Biodiversity Management, in general, for any site, must be considered as part of an

Regulatory and compliance expectations

Overall, the indicators should have the following attributes:

No plans to reinsert similar figure

Intentions to develop instead an “Ecosystems Service Review” AnnexAnnex C

Independent certification of sustainable resource management is a valuable tool for clients to

Be independent, cost-effective, and based on objective and measurable performance