Oil and gas in conservaYon seascapes

Oil and gas in conserva/on seascapes Collabora'ng with the extrac've industry to find common ground in the oceans and to achieve posi've results for conserva'on, society and business The Wildlife Conservation Society
Who we are > saving wildlife and wild places
In NY: The largest urban network
of wildlife parks in the world
•  4.5 million visitors annually
•  $415 million in economic impact related
to WCS activities on the local community
Globally: The largest field-based conservation
program in high-biodiversity regions
•  Over 3,000 field staff, more than 150 Ph.D.'s
•  81 landscapes and seascapes
•  55 countries
WCS Archives © WCS
WCS saves iconic
vulnerable species,
comprising 25% of
the world’s
biodiversity
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GLOBAL
WCS's strength is in local conservation scientific
research and implementation
Conservation
International
Greenpeace
The Nature
Conservancy
LOCAL
World
Wildlife
Fund
Wildlife
Conservation
Society
Research
Implementation
Policy
Advocacy
Note: CI = Conservation International, TNC = The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund
Source: WCS Analysis
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WCS has chosen to directly engage with extractives
•  To balance development with conservation
–  Ensure protection of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the face of economic
and infrastructure development
•  To reduce industry-associated risk to biodiversity
–  Helps companies manage their financial, regulatory, reputational and operational
risks
To demonstrate best practices and develop more sustainable investment models
–  Adherence to mitigation hierarchy
–  Commitment to biodiversity offset standards
To support outcomes-driven conservation in our landscapes
–  Avoid & mitigate impacts
–  Develop compensation/offset programs (species and habitats)
–  Implement voluntary offsets
–  Promote compensatory conservation and banking
Our goal with extractives is to achieve conservation outcomes
within the context of future industrial development and growing
demand for natural resources
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Mi/ga/ng risk •  Reputa/onal risks –  Target of nega/ve publicity –  “Social license to operate” •  Opera/onal risks –  Loss of ecosystem services can increase future vulnerability to risks (e.g. inadequate water, storm damage) •  Compe//ve advantage –  Goodwill for favorable treatment –  A seat at the policy development table Lender requirements •  Interna/onal Finance Corpora/on (IFC) Performance Standards •  Equator Principles –  Environmental and Social Risk Management for Project Finance Creating value and helping to manage upside
Innovation &
Repositioning
Tomorrow
•  Develop more efficient
technologies
•  Develop competitive capabilities
that make company more attractive
and trust-worthy to investors,
governments and lenders
Shareholder
Value
Internal
•  Regulatory and compliance
risk
•  Financing risk
•  Operational risk due to
vulnerability of supply
–  water, raw materials
Risk
management
Growth Path &
Trajectory
•  Create a leading vision for sustainability
•  Become a recognized environmental
leader in the industry
–  More attractive to employees
–  Positioning to meet future consumer
demands, e.g., responsible products
and supply chains
External
•  Demonstrable record of performance
to respond to greater and quicker
scrutiny
•  Reportable partnerships with
government & NGOs
•  Standards that go above and beyond
regulatory requirements for EIAs
Today
Reputation &
Legitimacy
Source: Adapted from Hart, Stuart L., and Mark B. Milstein. "Creating Sustainable Value." Academy of Management Executive 17, no. 2 (2003): 56-67.
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The Congo Basin Coast in the Gulf of Guinea The WCS-­‐Tullow project •  Biodiversity –  Research and assessment –  Monitoring impacts •  Marine Spa/al Planning –  Decision-­‐support tools –  Stakeholder engagement •  Industry Engagement –  Capacity building –  Mi/ga/on hierarchy Mi/ga/on Hierarchy Avoid Minimize Restore Offset Finding common ground to achieve shared goals … even though mo/va/ons differ Improving best prac/ces and suppor/ng long-­‐term stewardship •  Avoidance/Minimiza/on –  Understanding and monitoring biodiversity and impacts –  Marine protected areas and fisheries reform –  Influencing opera/onal prac/ces •  Offsets and Long-­‐term Stewardship –  Oil installa/ons have 35-­‐ to 50-­‐year /me horizons –  Build mutually-­‐beneficial and trus/ng rela/onships –  Use advanced capabili/es to test new technologies –  Scale up and transfer lessons to other opera/onal areas Discovering and overcoming challenges •  Communica/on and knowledge gaps •  Confirming no net-­‐
loss •  The meaning of offset in marine environments •  Extending to other mari/me industries Johanna Polsenberg: jpolsenberg@wcs.org