Introducing BNG Co-Pilot

a brick building with blue doors and windows

We are thrilled to announce the development of the BNG Co-Pilot, an innovative platform for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) assessment supported by the Taylor Geospatial Institute (TGI) and Amazon Web Service (AWS). This groundbreaking initiative applies Generative AI and advanced geospatial analytics to address the complexities of ensuring that land development projects in the UK deliver measurable biodiversity improvements.

We are immensely excited to work with ​​​​Dr. Nataliya Tkachenko, who leads ESG data and AI strategy at Lloyds Banking Group and directs the EPSRC-funded UK Multimodal AI Network. Dr. Tkachenko brings a wealth of experience to GenAI for geospatial applications. Congratulations to all Generative AI for Geospatial Challenge participants. The challenge offered $1 million in AWS credits to support cutting-edge geospatial applications for generative artificial intelligence (AI). It attracted 55 proposals from over 200 geospatial experts across five continents, and we are honoured to be among the twelve selected projects.

What Is the BNG Co-Pilot?

The BNG Co-Pilot is a cloud-native platform designed to automate and enhance biodiversity net gain calculations, a regulatory framework requiring UK developers to achieve a 10% net gain in biodiversity. The platform integrates diverse datasets to automate habitat mapping, biodiversity metrics, and scenario modelling by leveraging Generative AI and geospatial foundation models.

The BNG Co-Pilot bridges the gap between complex geospatial data and actionable insights, providing developers, policymakers, and conservationists with intuitive tools for sustainable land management.

Generative AI and Geospatial

The BNG Co-Pilot integrates traditional geospatial methods with modern Cloud Native approaches to address the challenges of biodiversity assessment. Generative AI relies on high-quality data, with geospatial foundational models using embeddings to encode key spatial attributes, such as biodiversity baselines, for specific locations. These embeddings form the basis for accurate analysis and predictions.

Creating these embeddings requires managing large, complex geospatial datasets, often sourced from diverse systems and formats. This has traditionally been a significant challenge, but advancements in Cloud Native Geospatial technologies over the past seven years have transformed this process. Tools for scalable data pipelines, distributed computing, and adherence to open geospatial standards now provide a robust foundation. These innovations enable Generative AI to handle the scale and complexity of geospatial data effectively, improving its ability to produce precise and actionable insights for biodiversity net gain assessments.

Why BNG Matters

The Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) framework represents a shift in environmental stewardship. Rather than merely mitigating harm, BNG ensures that land development actively contributes to restoring and enhancing biodiversity. However, the practical implementation of BNG presents significant challenges. Measuring, monitoring, and ensuring ecological improvements require the integration of vast datasets, a deep understanding of ecological baselines, and tools to predict the outcomes of various land-use scenarios.

The BNG Co-Pilot is designed to simplify these complexities. Its ability to process diverse geospatial data enables developers and policymakers to identify high-value ecological areas, evaluate the impact of development, and craft strategies to meet biodiversity goals. These insights are presented through intuitive dashboards and natural language tools, making them accessible to stakeholders across disciplines.

At its core, the BNG Co-Pilot fosters a proactive approach to biodiversity. Making BNG assessments a streamlined and data-driven process transforms an often daunting regulatory requirement into an opportunity for meaningful environmental and economic impact.

A Vision for Global Impact

The BNG Co-Pilot goes beyond regulatory compliance to position biodiversity as a critical economic indicator. By leveraging open datasets and methods, the platform will advance our understanding of biodiversity and the value we, as a society, place on it.

The Co-Pilot’s open-source foundation ensures accessibility for the public, government, and smaller organizations while offering premium analytics tailored to commercial users in private finance, real estate, and insurance.

Join the Journey

With the support of grants like the Generative AI for Geospatial Challenge, the BNG Co-Pilot sets a new standard for geospatial innovation and environmental stewardship. This initiative demonstrates how advanced technologies can simplify complex biodiversity assessments, empowering stakeholders to make sustainable decisions and contribute to a greener future.

Stay tuned for updates as we develop and refine the BNG Co-Pilot.