Can Renewable Energy Expansion Protect Biodiversity at the Same Time?

Campo Grande, Brazil, 27 March 2026 - As the world accelerates the shift away from fossil fuels, a critical question remains: how can renewable energy be scaled rapidly - without compromising biodiversity?

At the Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP15), a high-level side event on 'Multistakeholder collaboration for a nature-positive renewable energy transition' brought together governments, financial institutions, conservation organisations and the private sector to address this challenge.

Organised by the Government of Brazil and the CMS Energy Task Force, and co-hosted by the Asian Development Bank, BirdLife International and our website, the session underscored the need for integrated solutions at the climate - energy - biodiversity nexus.

Balancing urgency with responsibility

Speakers highlighted that climate change is a major driver of biodiversity loss, including for migratory species, reinforcing the urgency of transitioning to renewable energy to meet global goals under the Paris Agreement and the Kunming - Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

At the same time, they cautioned that poorly planned renewable energy infrastructure - particularly in sensitive coastal and migratory corridors - can lead to habitat degradation, collision risks and electrocution. The discussion emphasised that these risks are not inevitable, but can be significantly reduced through early planning, robust safeguards and cross-sector collaboration.

From safeguards to strategic planning

Across presentations, participants pointed to practical tools and approaches that are already helping to align energy development with biodiversity conservation. These include the application of the mitigation hierarchy - particularly prioritising avoidance at early planning stages - alongside national sensitivity mapping, strengthened environmental and social safeguard frameworks, and closer engagement between governments, financiers and developers.

Together, these approaches are shifting the focus from reactive mitigation to proactive, system-level planning.

From pilot to practice: the Ecowende example

Representing our website, Rachel Asante-Owusu highlighted our website's collaboration with Ecowende on an offshore wind project in the North Sea, where biodiversity considerations are embedded from the outset.

She outlined how early baseline studies, adaptive management measures and technological innovations - such as turbine shutdown-on-demand - are being used alongside long-term monitoring to reduce impacts on species while contributing to ecosystem restoration and scientific knowledge.

The case demonstrated how partnerships between conservation organisations and the private sector can help translate principles into practice at scale.

A call for measurable action

The session concluded with a clear call for CMS Parties and stakeholders to move from commitment to implementation. Key priorities include integrating biodiversity into financing decisions, improving access to and sharing of spatial data, and strengthening collaboration with the private sector.

As momentum builds towards future global milestones, the discussion reinforced a central message: a nature-positive energy transition is not only possible - it is essential to securing both climate and biodiversity goals.

Learn more about our website's work on the energy transition.