Mitigation hierarchy (avoid, reduce, offset)
A regulatory approach, part of French law since 1976 and strengthened by the 2016 biodiversity law, requiring environmental harm first to be avoided, then reduced where it cannot be avoided, and only as a last resort offset for residual impacts. Ecological offsetting carries an obligation of results and a no-net-loss objective for biodiversity; it never replaces avoidance or reduction.
See also: Real environmental obligation (ORE)
Reference source: ofb.gouv.fr
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