How Can Nature-based Solutions (NbS) Help the Water Industry Meet AMP8 Biodiversity Targets?
Ofwat is the water regulator for England and Wales. AMP8 is the next regulatory period for water companies, running from 2025 to 2030. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, while providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.
As of early 2024, Ofwat has placed increased emphasis on environmental performance and biodiversity in its regulatory approach. The regulator has introduced more stringent requirements for water companies to demonstrate biodiversity net gain (BNG) and to integrate natural capital approaches into their business plans for AMP8.
These nature-based solutions can help water companies meet Ofwat’s biodiversity targets by:
By implementing these NbS and leveraging new funding opportunities, water companies can demonstrate a proactive approach to enhancing biodiversity, which is likely to be viewed favourably by Ofwat in assessing their performance against biodiversity targets in AMP8.
The specific biodiversity targets for AMP8 are expected to emphasise measurable biodiversity net gain (BNG), alignment with national biodiversity strategies, and integration of natural capital approaches into water resource management. Water companies that effectively incorporate NbS into their strategies are likely to be better positioned to meet these targets and contribute to broader environmental goals.
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