Motion 034

Offshore wind energy plays a pivotal role in accelerating the transition towards decarbonized economies. However, its expansion poses significant challenges for marine biodiversity, particularly seabirds and other migratory species that depend on marine ecosystems for breeding, feeding, and migration. The development of offshore wind farms in inappropriate locations can lead to collisions, displacement, and habitat loss. Despite the potential of ecosystem-based marine spatial planning to mitigate these impacts, existing tools and frameworks remain underutilized or lack sufficient transboundary cooperation.

1. Justification for the Motion
Although several international conventions, including the Barcelona and OSPAR Conventions, promote marine biodiversity protection, they do not comprehensively address the integration of sensitivity mapping within marine spatial planning for renewable energy projects. While guidelines and technical tools such as BirdLife International’s sensitivity maps exist, their adoption is inconsistent. This motion aims to address these gaps by fostering coordinated action among governments, the private sector, and international governance bodies to ensure that marine spatial planning prioritizes biodiversity conservation.

Exploring alternative approaches—such as bilateral agreements or regional programs—has not yielded sufficiently harmonized strategies for managing cumulative impacts on migratory species. The motion ensures that biodiversity-sensitive areas are adequately identified and protected at local, national, and transboundary levels.

2. Implementation Resources
The implementation of this motion will require:

Financial Resources: Funding from government budgets, conservation organizations, and renewable energy developers to conduct sensitivity studies and develop comprehensive vulnerability maps. Grants from international donors, such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF), can also be leveraged.
Human Resources: The collaboration of marine ecologists, conservation experts, national agencies, and stakeholders in the renewable energy sector is essential to compile and interpret scientific data on species distribution, migratory routes, and ecosystem use. The IUCN’s role in facilitating capacity-building workshops and sharing best practices will be important.

3. Expected Outcomes
Adoption of ecosystem-based spatial planning frameworks in marine environments that guide energy development away from vulnerable habitats.
Creation of regional and national sensitivity maps based on proven methodologies to inform decision-making.
Strengthened cooperation within international marine governance forums to align conservation goals with renewable energy policies.
This motion is an essential step towards ensuring that the rapid deployment of offshore wind energy is environmentally sustainable and compatible with biodiversity conservation goals. By aligning marine spatial planning with scientific evidence and conservation priorities, the motion contributes to achieving international biodiversity targets, such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).