Concurrent 7. Presentation for: Biodiversity protection offsets in the Northern Territory – the Ichthys LNG story

Abstract

Presented on Tuesday 17 May: Session 7 Protection of land and sea country in the Northern Territory (NT) for biodiversity offsets is difficult. Land tenure, competing management priorities and a lack of data mean securing land for conventional offsets, especially for long-term projects, is problematic for potential offset scenarios. Despite these challenges, the INPEX-led Ichthys Joint Venture is required to protect an area of land and sea country in the NT to offset the perceived impacts to the environment of the Ichthys LNG energy development. The requirement stems from the Commonwealth Government Approval EPBC 2008/4208 Conditions 11(b) and 11(c); and relates to the development of Ichthys LNG at Bladin Point and associated dredging activities. Numerous attempts have been made by INPEX, on behalf of its Ichthys Joint Venture participants, to meet these offset requirements, spanning a 10-year history and involving multiple stakeholders. Many lessons have been learnt along this journey, and this paper aims to shed light on INPEX’s attempts to find practical solutions to these challenges. Recently, the Commonwealth Government accepted a novel industry approach put forward by INPEX to work with Aboriginal Traditional Owners to protect and manage country for future generations. If successful, it is expected to deliver positive outcomes beyond the environment it protects. To access the presentation click the link on the right. To read the full paper click here