The IFCs Guidance Note 91 on the topic states that states that a BMP is an operational document developed largely for site managers and contractors whereas the BAP will almost always include actions for off-site areas (for example, offsets and additional actions) and involve external partners (for example, implementing partners, reviewers, or advisors)’. A BAP tends to be required for projects located in critical habitat and is recommended for high-risk projects in natural habitats. This article expands on the IFC’s note with some more details.
Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP)
Purpose and Scope
A BMP is typically developed for specific projects or developments, especially those with potential significant impacts on biodiversity. Its primary goal is to integrate biodiversity conservation into the project’s construction and operational activities and to manage biodiversity risks and impacts throughout the project lifecycle.
Focus
The focus is on mitigating negative impacts on biodiversity within the project area, including direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts. It includes detailed measures for avoidance, minimisation, restoration, and, as a last resort, offsetting biodiversity losses.
Implementation Context
BMPs are often required by financial institutions (like the IFC under PS 6) as part of environmental and social risk management for funded projects. They are tailored to the specific biodiversity risks and opportunities associated with a project. The plan includes impact assessments, mitigation hierarchy application, specific management actions, monitoring and adaptive management strategies, and stakeholder engagement processes.
Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP)
Purpose and Scope
A BAP is broader and can be developed at various scales – national, regional, local, or for specific sectors. It aims to protect and enhance biodiversity across a wider area or within a certain sector, not just linked to a specific project.
Focus
The focus is on conserving, enhancing, and restoring biodiversity across the plan’s scope, addressing a range of issues from habitat loss to species conservation. BAPs identify priority species and habitats and outline actions to recover and protect these biodiversity assets.
Implementation Context
BAPs are often initiated by governments, conservation organisations, or within sectors to meet biodiversity conservation targets and commitments under international conventions (like the Convention on Biological Diversity) or national legislation. The BAP Includes setting conservation priorities, targeted actions for species and habitats, broader conservation strategies, and partnerships with various stakeholders for implementation.
Key Differences
Scope and Scale
BMPs are project-specific and focus on managing project impacts on biodiversity, whereas BAPs have a broader scope, potentially covering national, regional, or sectoral biodiversity conservation efforts.
Objectives
BMPs are primarily aimed at mitigating negative impacts of specific projects, while BAPs are proactive plans targeting the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity at larger scales.
Initiation Context
BMPs are often required by project financiers or regulatory bodies as part of environmental compliance, whereas BAPs can be initiated by a variety of stakeholders aiming at broader biodiversity conservation goals.
Target Audience
BMPs are usually developed by project developers and are targeted at minimizing their project’s biodiversity impacts, while BAPs are developed by or for those interested in broader biodiversity conservation, including government agencies, NGOs, and the wider public.
Summary
In summary, while both BMPs and BAPs are essential for biodiversity conservation, they serve different purposes: BMPs are focused on mitigating project-specific impacts, and BAPs aim at broader conservation and recovery goals across wider areas or sectors.
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