Appendix J: Sample uses of biodiversity unit

Examples of alternate uses of the biodiversity unit in other methodologies

We've made a strong call to action for the interoperability of our VBC unit, to corporate disclosure organizations, and multiple crediting bodies. Our hope is that although this methodology is limited in its applicability, an interoperable unit will spur market adoption, innovation in the field, and wider market adoption of biodiversity credits.

As described the Unit of a VBC is Area (ha) x Value (ecosystem value normalized to Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze) x 𝚫 Integrity (where all metrics, methodologies, and certifications lie) / Time (2 months).

This appendix is to provide examples for why this unit is interoperable, and can be used for any conservation, restoration, eradication, or pollination methodology. The key lies in the fact that normalizing Time, Value, and Area, allows methodologies to converge in their integrity additionality from the perspective of the ecosystem itself.

It also controls for industry lobbying by groups with strong financial incentives and better science in ecosystems which have been frankly inaccessible to true animal populations for hundreds of years (i.e. farmland in US and Europe), when compared against IP and LC protecting planetary treasures with little to no resources (i.e. fishing village in Mexico guarding blue whale UNESCO birthing site).

• Integrity range is from -1 (moonscaped dead zones) to +1 primary ecosystem in pristine natural condition. (National parks, game parks, UNESCO World Heritage sites, primary Amazon forest, etc.)

• Every competing metric and methodology and the certifiers and disclosures can interoperate here. Conservation, eradication, pollination, restoration, and corporate impacts.

• Methodologies, as approved by certifiers, have a standardized or MRV integrity effect. I.e. a methodology perfectly executed moves Integrity up, or credits for it in it's intact state.

• Impacts, as approved by regulators, have a standardized or MRV integrity effect. i.e. an impact correctly documented moves Integrity down, and/or fines for its degradation.

• Projects can get partial crediting, or demerits for partial effects.

Example calculations (with loose estimates) based on this unit include:

Methodology type	Impact		Credits issued
Conservation	100% conserved Amazon primary forest through an indicator species methodology in a biodiversity hotspot.	5 ha of 100% intact ecosystem in a Platinum ecosystem.	5 Platinum credits
Restoration	Farmland converted to regenerative farming. Log-normalized increase in ecosystem integrity from 50%-> 60% in an IUCN 'Vulnerable' ecosystem.	100 ha of farmland * 10% increase in a Silver ecosystem	10 Silver credists
Pollination	Bees added to central Austin as pollinators. 0.01% increase over 3 mile radius in ecosystem with no intrinsic ranking.	7,321 ha * 0.01 increase in Bronze ecosystem.	73 Bronze credits
Eradication	Sea urchins pulled from kelp beds in California's kelp forests.	200 ha * 5% increase in Gold ecosystem	10 Gold credits
Corporate impact	Petroleum drilling in ocean desert.	1000 ha * 5% impact in Bronze ecosystem	-50 Bronze credits
Corporate impact	Military oil spill in Hawaiian bay.	500 ha * 30% impact in Gold ecosystem	-150 Gold credits