Critical Habitat Assessment (IFC PS6)
Determine Habitat Risk With Our Critical Habitat Assessment Services for IFC PS6 and Project Finance Decisions
Our critical habitat assessment services deliver rigorous, evidence based determination of critical habitat using field data, species analysis, and systematic evaluation against all five IFC PS6 criteria, providing the clarity required for lender due diligence and investment decisions.
Trusted by Leading Organisations Around the World
Specialist Critical Habitat Assessment Solutions Across Screening, Determination and Offset Strategy
Our critical habitat assessment solutions are built to support different stages of a project with specialist expertise, providing the level of analysis needed to inform decisions, reduce uncertainty, and meet IFC Performance Standard 6 requirements.
Critical Habitat Screening and Early Risk Assessment
Identify potential critical habitat presence using existing data, spatial analysis, and species information, helping inform site selection, feasibility, and early financing strategy before detailed fieldwork.
Detailed Critical Habitat Determination (IFC PS6)
Deliver comprehensive assessment against all five IFC Performance Standard 6 criteria using field surveys, species analysis, and habitat evaluation, providing clear, evidence based determination for lender review.
Mitigation and Biodiversity Offset Strategy
Where critical habitat is confirmed, develop offset strategies and biodiversity action plans that align with IFC PS6 requirements and enable projects to proceed under strict mitigation conditions.
Why Organisations Trust Us for Critical Habitat Assessment Services
Critical habitat determination is not a standard biodiversity exercise. It requires precise interpretation of IFC Performance Standard 6, robust evidence, and defensible judgement in high stakes situations where outcomes directly influence financing decisions. Organisations across the world choose us as their specialist partner to ensure this process is handled with the level of rigour and clarity it demands.
Assessments structured to meet the expectations of development banks and Equator Principles lenders, with clear evidence, transparent methodology, and conclusions that withstand detailed review.
Experience designing biodiversity offsets and action plans where critical habitat is confirmed, supporting projects that must proceed under strict mitigation requirements.
Integration of field surveys, spatial analysis, and species data to provide a complete and defensible basis for critical habitat determination.
Deep understanding of all five IFC Performance Standard 6 criteria, including complex and borderline cases where interpretation and judgement are critical.
Comprehensive Service Cover For Critical Habitat Determination Under IFC Performance Standard 6 (IFC PS6)
Critical habitat assessment requires systematic evaluation against defined criteria, supported by robust data and defensible interpretation. Our services focuse on applying IFC Performance Standard 6 rigorously, ensuring conclusions are evidence based, transparent, and suitable for lender review.
Systematic IFC PS6 Criteria Evaluation
Structured assessment against all five IFC Performance Standard 6 criteria, ensuring no aspect of critical habitat determination is overlooked.
IUCN Red List Species Assessment (Criterion 1)
Evaluation of critically endangered and endangered species presence, habitat suitability, and population significance using IUCN Red List data and field verification.
Endemic and Restricted Range Species Analysis (Criterion 2)
Assessment of species with limited geographic distribution to determine regional and global biodiversity significance.
End-To-End Critical Habitat Assessment Services
Migratory and Congregatory Species Assessment (Criterion 3)
Analysis of migratory routes, seasonal use, and population thresholds to identify sites of importance for species dependent on specific habitats.
Threatened Ecosystem Identification (Criterion 4)
Identification and evaluation of highly threatened or unique ecosystems using habitat classification, condition assessment, and global ecosystem frameworks.
Evidence, Documentation and Offset Implications
Clear documentation of findings with transparent evidence trails, including implications for mitigation and biodiversity offset requirements where critical habitat is confirmed.
Our Structured Approach To Delivering Critical Habitat Assessments Under IFC PS6
Our critical habitat assessment services are built around a proven and structured process of evidence gathering, analysis, and interpretation. We apply IFC Performance Standard 6 through a clear, step by step approach, ensuring determinations are robust, transparent, and aligned with lender expectations.
1.
Screening and Data Review
We review available biodiversity data, species records, and spatial information to identify potential critical habitat triggers and define the scope of assessment.
2.
Targeted Field Surveys and Evidence Collection
We collect field data focused on species, habitats, and ecological features relevant to IFC PS6 criteria, ensuring sufficient evidence to support determination.
3.
Criteria Based Analysis and Determination
Our experts systematically evaluate findings against all five IFC Performance Standard 6 criteria, applying expert judgement to determine whether critical habitat is present.
4.
Documentation, Interpretation and Next Steps
We provide clear, defensible documentation of conclusions, including implications for project design, mitigation, and biodiversity offset requirements where applicable.
Supporting Organisations Globally Across High Impact Sectors
We support organisations operating in regulated, high impact sectors including mining, energy, and infrastructure, where biodiversity compliance requirements are critical to project success.
Supporting complex projects across multiple countries, regions, and regulatory environments.
Experience delivering biodiversity and monitoring programmes across large sites and multi location projects.
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Proven Biodiversity Solutions Driving Compliance And Conservation At Scale
From tropical forests to private estates, our biodiversity solutions are used worldwide to deliver measurable results. Explore our case studies on the interactive map to see how we help organisations achieve compliance, conservation and restoration outcomes.
Qatar Marine Monitoring
Okala provided marine biodiversity baselines for coastal mangrove restoration
Eastern Africa chimps
The Biodiversity Consultancy partnered with Okala to monitor chimpanzee populations using camera trap data
Congo rainforest
Scalable AI species identification in the Republic of Congo
EUDR East Africa
EUDR compliance for 50,000 soya farms across Togo and Benin
Gold mine in Australia
FURA is a global gemstone mining company operating in Australia, Colombia, and Mozambique.
Brazil Rainforest
Camera trap videos of individually identified jaguars can support biodiversity credit projects
Scottish Estate
Scaling the use of bioacoustics, eDNA and camera traps for biodiversity monitoring in Scotland
Peer-reviewed studies underpinning our methodologies, ensuring outputs are scientifically robust and defensible under regulatory scrutiny.
Projects delivered across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, supporting approvals, compliance, and measurable biodiversity outcomes.
Agricultural sites assessed for deforestation risk and sustainability reporting, supporting compliance with EUDR and supply chain requirements.
See What Our Clients Say
Hear from organisations we have supported across complex projects, delivering reliable, defensible outcomes under regulatory and operational pressure.
We have had a great experience working with Okala. The process has been constructive and efficient. We have appreciated the collaborative nature of the work and the level of expertise from the Okala team. It has been great to work with a like-minded team who share our values.
We greatly appreciated Okala’s ability to adapt to the specific demands of the mining industry. Their flexibility and responsiveness enabled the timely delivery of key project components. The dashboard training session was very well received by our client, and the platform itself has proven to be an effective tool for visualizing the results of camera-trap monitoring. We look forward to continuing and expanding our collaboration with Okala.
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This was an ambitious project where we could put AI to the test at very large scales. Okala's data platform allowed us to verify AI outputs and rapidly interact with the data using the intuitive interface.
Okala's expert gap analysis and guidance have greatly advanced Fura’s progress towards reaching our sustainability goals. Their professionalism and insight into biodiversity and carbon management exceeded our expectations.
Okala delivered cutting edge biodiversity, carbon and social baselines to understand how a 300,000 ha forestry concession in Gabon could be managed for sustainable development.
The full service - from fieldwork to reporting - was excellent. We look forward to working with Okala again.
Minimising biodiversity impact is an increasing challenge for our sector. Okala provided unrivalled transparency and reporting for our early-stage industrial project in Rwanda.
Okala delivered high-quality biodiversity baselines in just six months using eDNA, bioacoustics and camera traps. Their work will allow us to calculate the biodiversity value of the forest to inform land-management.
Quick Answers To Your Critical Habitat Assessment FAQs
Have questions about our critical habitat assessment services under IFC Performance Standard 6? Here’s how the process works in practice, when it’s required, and what it means for project financing and delivery.
Book Your Initial 30-Minute Consultation and Move Your Project Forward With Confidence
Speak with our team about your project requirements, regulatory context, and timelines. We will provide clear, practical guidance on the best approach to assessment, compliance, and reporting.
