The full report Mitigating biodiversity impacts asso-ciated with solar and wind energy development is available here: https://doi.org/fw2c.
Section 1 provides an overview of the expected transformation in the energy sector due to the growth in renewable energy sources, the potential implications for biodiversity and ecosystem services and an introduction to the guidelines.
Section 2 introduces and explains the mitigation hierarchy, which provides the overall framework for presenting good practice approaches to managing the impacts of wind and solar developments on bi-odiversity and ecosystem services.
Section 3 explains the importance of early project planning, and the tools and approaches that can be used to inform the first step (avoidance) of the mit-igation hierarchy. This applies to all solar and wind technologies.
Section 4, Section 5 and Section 6 examine potential impacts and mitigation approaches for each of the technology types: solar (both PV and CSP), onshore wind and offshore wind.
Section 7, Section 8, Section 9 and Section 10 cover issues that are general to all the technology types.
Section 7 specifically outlines the principles and practical considerations for designing and imple-menting offsets that compensate for residual pro-ject impacts (after rigorous application of avoidance, minimisation and restoration in project design).
Section 8 explains considerations and good practice approaches for assessment, monitoring and adap-tive management, and signposts more detailed guidance relevant to specific technologies.
Section 9 provides a summary of key project out-puts required for aligning with good biodiversity management throughout the project lifecycle, in-cluding for the Environmental and Social Impacts Assessment (ESIA), and key additional sources of guidance and information for each of these.
Section 10 reviews the issue of supply chain stew-ardship, and how projects can reduce the embed-ded impacts of materials.
A database with additional tools and resources to supplement information presented in each section is provided in Annex 1. This resource will be updated based on the latest evidence and information.
Annex 2 presents 33 case studies to help illustrate the main points and highlight suitable mitigation approaches.
Finally, Annex 3 provides a list of species groups that are known to be particularly sensitive to solar and wind developments.
Finally, note that although the scope of the guide-lines is global, specific project conditions and requirements (from permitting authorities or fi-nancers) can vary between locations. Of particular relevance are the requirements for undertaking ESIAs, which vary by country. Hence, this guidance document should be interpreted with reference to the local environmental, social and legislative context. Specialist input and advice will be needed to understand and effectively manage biodiver-sity and ecosystem services risks related to each development.
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