Raising the Bar for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Management in the Oil and Gas Industry

Abstract

Abstract IPIECA provides leadership on environmental issues for the oil and gas (O&G) industry through anticipating challenges, enabling improvements and informing members on key issues; a key platform for this is the use of training workshops, such as the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (BES) Peer-to-Peer Workshop Series. The BES Peer-to-Peer Workshop Series is highly beneficial for oil and gas industry practitioners. The platform allows increased awareness, uptake and operationalization of the BES approach and good practices by oil and gas companies, thus enabling companies to improve performance. Attendees receive comprehensive up-to-date training in BES; awareness of latest expectations, good practices, tools and practical examples associated with BES management in the oil and gas; ideas on how to build the business case for BES action within their organisations; benefits of insights around shared perspectives – challenges, opportunities and experiences from industry representatives; and, excellent networking opportunity with like-minded people in O&G industry. The workshop has been held in Paris, Houston and Bangkok, reaching 150+ individuals and 30+ oil and gas companies. To measure workshop success, IPIECA survey attendees. We evaluate whether BES management awareness has increased, participant critique of the workshop and, participant uptake of BES approaches and IPIECA guidance. To-date, results gathered from post-workshop surveys have been very positive. Attendees particularly highlight the quality of the workshop materials and the opportunity to hear case studies from industry professionals. The training workshops are a unique forum for industry outreach, particularly in regions that have only more recently begun developing their O&G resources. The next Peer-to-Peer Workshop is planned for May 2018, in South Africa.