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Mitigating Biodiversity Impacts Associated with Solar and Wind Energy Development Guidelines for Project Developers

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Mitigating Biodiversity Impacts Associated with Solar and Wind Energy Development Guidelines for Project Developers Mitigating biodiversity impacts associated with solar and wind energy development Guidelines for project developers IUCN GLOBAL BUSINESS AND BIODIVERSITY PROGRAMME About IUCN IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together. Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and some 15,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards. IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development. www.iucn.org twitter.com/IUCN/ About The Biodiversity Consultancy The Biodiversity Consultancy is a specialist consultancy in biodiversity risk management. We work with sector-leading clients to integrate nature into business decision-making and design practical environmental solutions that deliver nature-positive outcomes. We provide technical and policy expertise to manage biodiversity impacts at a project level and enable purpose-driven companies to create on-the-ground opportunities to regenerate our natural environment. As strategic advisor to some of the world’s largest companies, we lead the development of post- 2020 corporate strategies, biodiversity metrics, science-based targets, and sustainable supply chains. Our expertise is applied across the renewable energy sector, including hydropower, solar, wind, and geothermal, where we specialise in the interpretation and application of international finance safeguards. www.thebiodiversityconsultancy.com/ www.linkedin.com/company/thebiodiversityconsultancy twitter.com/TBCbiodiversity Mitigating biodiversity impacts associated with solar and wind energy development Guidelines for project developers The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN or The Biodiversity Consultancy concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN or The Biodiversity Consultancy. IUCN is pleased to acknowledge the support of its Framework Partners who provide core funding: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark; Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland; Government of France and the French Development Agency (AFD); the Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea; the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad); the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida); the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); and the United States Department of State. This publication has been made possible by funding from Électricité de France (EDF), Energias de Portugal (EDP) and Shell. Published by: IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and The Biodiversity Consultancy, Cambridge, UK Copyright: © 2021 IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorised without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Citation: Bennun, L., van Bochove, J., Ng, C., Fletcher, C., Wilson, D., Phair, N., Carbone, G. (2021). Mitigating biodiversity impacts associated with solar and wind energy development. Guidelines for project developers. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN and Cambridge, UK: The Biodiversity Consultancy. ISBN: 978-2-8317-2101-9 (PDF) DOI: https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.CH.2021.04.en Cover photo: © EDF Renewables (left), © EDF Renewables (middle), © Shell (right) Edited by: Diwata Hunziker Design and layout: Imre Sebestyén, jr / Unit Graphics Available from: IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Global Business and Biodiversity Programme Rue Mauverney 28 1196 Gland Switzerland Email: [email protected] www.iucn.org/resources/publications Table of contents Foreword. viii Executive summary . x About these guidelines . xiii Acknowledgements. xvii Glossary. xviii Abbreviations. .xxii PART I 1. Introduction. 1 1.1 The renewable energy transition. 1 1.2 Types of renewable energy. 1 1.3 Biodiversity, ecosystem services and renewable energy . 3 2. The mitigation hierarchy . 7 2.1 Types of impacts . .7 2.2 Components of the mitigation hierarchy . 8 2.3 The mitigation hierarchy across the project cycle . .10 2.4 Principles of good mitigation practice . .12 2.5 Project biodiversity goals . 14 2.6 The role of policy in biodiversity mitigation practice . .15 3. Early project planning . 19 3.1 Overview . .19 3.2 Spatial planning and Strategic Environmental Assessment. 22 3.3 Sensitivity mapping . 25 3.4 Risk screening . 29 3.4.1. About risk screening. 29 3.4.2. Approaches and tools . 30 3.5 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment. 33 3.6 Working with stakeholders . 33 PART II 4. Solar energy – Potential impacts and mitigation approaches . .39 4.1 Overview of a solar plant . .39 4.2 Impacts of solar energy on biodiversity and ecosystem services. 43 4.2.1. Summary of key impacts. 43 4.2.2. Biodiversity most at risk . 47 4.2.3. Population level and cumulative impacts . 48 Mitigating biodiversity impacts associated with solar and wind energy development iii 4.3 Project design phase mitigation . .48 4.3.1. Overview. 48 4.3.2. Avoidance and minimisation . 49 4.4 Mitigation in the construction phase . .51 4.4.1. Overview. .51 4.4.2. Avoidance through scheduling. .51 4.4.3. Minimisation measures . 52 4.4.4. Restoration and rehabilitation. 52 4.5 Mitigation in the operational phase . 53 4.5.1. Overview. 53 4.5.2. Minimisation measures . 53 4.6 End-of-life . 57 4.6.1. Overview . .57 4.6.2. Repowering. 57 4.6.3. Decommissioning . 58 4.7 Summary of mitigation approaches for solar. 59 5. Onshore wind energy – Potential impacts and mitigation approaches. 61 5.1 Overview of an onshore wind development. .61 5.2 Impacts of onshore wind energy on biodiversity and ecosystem services. 62 5.2.1. Summary of key impacts. 62 5.2.2. Biodiversity most at risk . 66 5.2.3. Population level and cumulative impacts . 67 5.3 Project design phase mitigation . 68 5.3.1. Overview. 68 5.3.2. Avoidance and minimisation . 69 5.4 Mitigation in the construction phase . .71 5.4.1. Overview. .71 5.4.2. Avoidance through scheduling. 72 5.4.3. Minimisation measures . 72 5.4.4. Restoration and rehabilitation. 73 5.5 Mitigation in the operational phase . 73 5.5.1. Overview. 73 5.5.2. Minimisation measures . 73 5.6 End-of-life . .81 5.6.1. Overview . 81 5.6.2. Repowering. .81 5.6.3. Decommissioning . .81 5.7 Summary of mitigation approaches for onshore wind. 83 6. Offshore wind energy – Potential impacts and mitigation approaches. 85 6.1 Overview of offshore wind development. 85 6.2 Impacts of offshore wind energy on biodiversity and ecosystem services. 86 6.2.1. Summary of key impacts. 86 6.2.2. Biodiversity most at risk . ..
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