On 12 September of the current year, the Technical-Scientific Unit for Supporting Biodiversity Offsets, a body established by the Environmental Impact Assessment Authority and composed of representatives from government institutions, the private sector, academia, and civil society organizations, met in another ordinary session in Maputo to analyze and discuss the first Biodiversity Offset Management Plan (BOMP) in Mozambique.

The preliminary BOMP under review was submitted by the mining company Kenmare Resources Plc, located on the northeastern coast of Nampula Province. Since 2009, the company’s main activities have focused on mining, extracting, and processing titanium and zircon group minerals through the Larde and Moma heavy mineral sands mine and a processing facility. With the consolidated BOMP, the company aims to ensure No Net Loss of natural habitat and a Net Gain in critical habitats.

The Technical-Scientific Unit for Supporting Biodiversity Offsets, established under Ministerial Diploma No. 55/2022 of 19 May, is mandated to support the Environmental Impact Assessment Authority, particularly the Biodiversity Offsets Assessment and Monitoring Division (RAACB) in the strategic analysis of proposed and ongoing biodiversity offset projects in the country, ensuring their alignment with biodiversity conservation targets defined by the Government of Mozambique.

During the meeting, the Unit was also introduced to other potential BOMPs currently under development to comply with Ministerial Diploma No. 55/2022 of 19 May.

The operationalisation of the Technical-Scientific Unit for Supporting Biodiversity Offsets is supported by the COMBO+ programme, a partnership between the Ministry of Land and Environment (MTA), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS-Mozambique), and the Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND). The COMBO+ Programme is currently funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Fonds Français pour l’Environnement Mondial (FFEM), with co-financing from other donors, including NORAD. In Mozambique, COMBO+ is also funded by the MOZBIO 2 Project (World Bank), UNDP (BIOSFAC and BIOFIN), and the Government of Sweden through the Biodiversity Conservation Programme.