Environmental offsets
Environmental offsets are positive measures that can be taken to counterbalance certain unavoidable negative environmental impacts of development.
Offsets can be applied to:
- greenhouse gas emissions
- waste management
- emissions to water and air
- vegetation management
- other environmental management issues (such as loss of habitat and biodiversity).
For example, under certain circumstances, the clearing of vegetation for a development may be offset by the management and protection of another area of ecologically equivalent vegetation.
The Department of Environment and Resource Management has an operational framework for vegetation management offsets.
The Department has produced a Queensland Government Environmental Offsets Policy.
Last updated: 30 April 2009