B-INTACT, Biodiversity Integrated Assessment and Computation Tool in the AFOLU sector

Ecoacsa has participated in the external expert group advising the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in the development of B-INTACT (Biodiversity Integrated Assessment and Computational Tool). This tool seeks to provide a thorough biodiversity assessment of project-level activities in the AFOLU sector, taking on both a quantitative and a qualitative approach.

Biodiversity loss is accelerating at an unprecedented rate across the planet putting a great number of species on the brink of extinction. A decline in the plants, animals and micro-organisms threatens food security, sustainable development and the supply of vital ecosystem services. In order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda, there is an urgent need to take action to halt biodiversity loss and consequently ecosystem degradation.

Since the introduction of the Aichi targets, released by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2010, the United Nations have been empowered with greater influence on decision-making impacting biodiversity. However, there was an urgent need for an easy-to-use tool to rapidly, yet effectively assess the impact on biodiversity posed by projects, programmes and policies.

As a timely response, the EX-ACT team from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has developed the Biodiversity Integrated Assessment and Computation Tool (B-INTACT). B-INTACT uniquely seeks to extend the scope of environmental assessments to capture biodiversity concerns, which are not accounted for in conventional carbon pricing. The tool is designed for users ranging from national investment banks, international financial institutions and policy decision-makers, and allows for a thorough biodiversity assessment of project-level activities in the Agriculture, Forestry and Land Use (AFOLU) sector while maintaining the logic of the EX-ACT model.

The name of the tool «EX-Ante Carbon-balance Tool for Biodiversity (EX-ACT Biodiversity)» has been changed to «Biodiversity Integrated Assessment and Computation Tool (B-INTACT)». Our Technical Director, Jesús Carrasco, is one of the external experts that has advised FAO in the development of B-INTACT.