Understanding HCV HCSA: Standards for Nature Protection and Biodiversity

According to a report by the High Conservation Value Resource Network, more than 85 percent of the remaining global ecosystems require protection based on high conservation values, yet not all of them have clear management standards.

HCV or High Conservation Value is a concept used to identify areas with very important ecological, social, or cultural values. Meanwhile, HCSA or High Carbon Stock Approach is a method used to distinguish forest areas that must be protected from areas that can be developed sustainably.

Both are often used together because they provide a comprehensive framework for safeguarding ecological functions, reducing deforestation risks, and ensuring that development does not compromise biodiversity.

Why Are These Standards Important for Biodiversity?

IPBES reports that around 1 million species are threatened with extinction due to human activities and land use change. This condition highlights the need for standards that can assess and protect sensitive areas before damage occurs.

HCV and HCSA help companies, governments, and conservation organizations ensure that areas important for rare species, wildlife corridors, water sources, and culturally valuable areas remain protected. With these standards, land use decisions become more transparent and science based.

Six HCV Categories and Their Relevance

A report from HCVRN explains that HCV categories cover all important aspects from ecology to the protection of local community culture. The six HCV categories include:

• HCV 1, Significant biodiversity such as habitats of threatened species.
• HCV 2, Large forest landscapes capable of supporting viable wildlife populations.
• HCV 3, Unique or rare ecosystems.
• HCV 4, Areas important for ecosystem services such as water provision and flood prevention.
• HCV 5, Areas important for meeting the basic needs of local communities.
• HCV 6, Areas of importance for the cultural or religious identity of local communities.

All of these categories provide a holistic perspective so that protection does not focus on only one aspect but on all ecological and social functions.

The Role of HCSA in Preventing Deforestation

Global Forest Watch recorded that the world lost more than 3.7 million hectares of primary forest in 2023. This figure shows how critical deforestation prevention mechanisms are.

HCSA helps map forests based on carbon stock to determine which areas must be protected and which can still be developed. This approach supports no deforestation strategies that are increasingly adopted in the palm oil, pulp, rubber, and other commodity industries.

How Do HCV and HCSA Complement Each Other?

HCV focuses on conservation values, while HCSA focuses on carbon stock and deforestation risk. When used together, they provide a complete picture of ecological value, climate risk, and social protection.

This is why many global companies make them mandatory standards before opening new land.

Implementation Challenges in the Field

UNEP notes that one of the biggest challenges in global conservation is the information gap at the site level. Some commonly encountered obstacles include:

• Lack of high quality baseline data.
• Limited technical capacity of assessors or companies.
• Conflicts of interest between production goals and protection.
• Minimal involvement of local communities.

With advances in mapping technology and multi stakeholder collaboration, many of these challenges are now being addressed.

Tangible Benefits for Companies and Communities

World Resources Institute explains that companies implementing ecosystem protection tend to have lower operational risks and stronger reputations.

The benefits of applying HCV and HCSA include:

• Reducing social and legal conflict risks.
• Ensuring compliance with No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation policies.
• Increasing consumer and investor trust.
• Reducing the risk of losses caused by environmental disasters.

For communities, these standards help protect areas that are essential for daily life and ensure that their voices are included in land use decision making.

Our Role in Supporting Conservation Value Protection

Although HCV and HCSA are more commonly applied at the company or government level, the public still plays an important role. Some simple actions include:

• Supporting products with clear environmental policies.
• Participating in nature restoration campaigns.
• Taking part in conservation education activities.

Public awareness provides pressure to keep industries transparent and accountable.

HCV and HCSA are not merely technical terms. They are essential tools for protecting biodiversity, reducing climate risk, and ensuring that development is carried out responsibly. By understanding these standards, we recognize that protecting nature is a shared responsibility.