Biodiversity No Overall Deterioration

Description

The Biodiversity Performance Commitment (https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Biodiversity-FD-PC-definition-1.pdf) is a new requirement for AMP8 (April 2025 - March 2030), designed to incentivise water companies to conserve and enhance biodiversity in the exercise of its functions. It measures the net change in the number of biodiversity units nominated in the company's area, based on the results of surveys completed using Defra's statutory metric (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-biodiversity-metric-tools-and-guides) every four years. Within this performance commitment, a company can, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, nominate areas of company-owned land as well as other land where habitat is improved in the process of a water company carrying out its functions. The net change in the number of biodiversity units is determined, based on the results of surveys completed every four years. As part of the Biodiversity Performance Commitment, it is expected that water companies provide assurance that overall biodiversity across all other company-owned sites which are not included in the performance commitment are not deteriorating