The CMS Energy Task Force is a multi-stakeholder platform that works towards reconciling renewable energy developments with the conservation of migratory species.

Global energy demand is set to increase 30% by 2040. Meeting this demand while preventing global average temperature rise from exceeding 1.50C above pre-industrial levels ─ the goal of the Paris Climate Change Agreement and the IPCC ─ requires a substantial increase in the generation of renewable energy.

Deploying renewable energy instead of exploiting fossil fuels can benefit migratory species by helping to mitigate climate change. However, as with other infrastructure developments, the deployment of energy infrastructure can negatively impact species and their habitats when poorly planned.

The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) recognise the need to integrate the conservation of migratory species across the energy sector and have adopted a number of resolutions and guidelines to this end. The CMS Energy Task Force was established in 2015 in accordance with  Resolution 11.27 (Rev. COP13) Renewable Energy and Migratory Species to support the implementation of these resolutions and the use of relevant guidelines.

The CMS Energy Task Force brings together governments, multilateral environmental agreements, investors, the private sector and non-governmental organizations with an aim of avoiding and minimising negative impacts of energy developments on migratory species. We work to:   

  • promote and develop guidance and tools for the sustainable deployment or retrofitting of renewable energy technologies and powerlines,
  • exchange and disseminate best practices for deploying energy infrastructure,
  • provide recommendations on how best to respond to specific problems,
  • deliver research to address knowledge gaps. 

 

MEMBERS OF THE ENERGY TASK FORCE

Countries
Brazil National Center for Bird Conservation and Research (CEMAVE) / Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) / Ministry of Environment of Brazil (MMA)

Dr. Patricia Serafini

Mr. Marcos de Souza Fialho

Bulgaria

Ministry of Environment and Water Ms. Rodostina Galitionova
Cyprus Game & Fauna Services (GFS), Ministry of Interior

Mr. Panicos Panayides

Mr. Haris Hadjistyllis

Egypt Ministry of Environment Mr. Osama Ahmed Moustafa El-Gebaly
New & Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) Mr. Mohamed Al-Khayat
Ethiopia Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority Mr. Mihret Ewnetu Mulualem
France Ministère de la transition écologique et solidaire Mr. Michel Perret
Germany Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Ms. Berit Gewert
Ghana

Forestry Commission/Wildlife Division

Mr. Bernard Asamoah Boateng
Mr. Musa Abu Juam
Greece Ministry of Environment and Energy, General Secretariat of Natural Environment and Water Dr. Charalampos Ververis
Hungary Ministry of Agriculture Mr. András Schmidt
Israel Israel Nature and Parks Authority Mr. Noam Leader
Jordan Ministry of Environment Eng. Raed Bani Hani
Kenya Ministry of Environment Mr. Stephen M. Manegene
Morocco High Commission for Water and Forests and the Fight against Desertification

Ms. Samira Ouhabi

Ms. Latifa Sikli

Nigeria Ministry of Environment Ms. Hadiza Elayo
Mr. Ayuba Turman Bakut
Saudi Arabia National Center for Wildlife (NCW) Pr. Mohammad Shobrak
Mr. Fawaz Albaroudi
South Africa Ministry of Environment Ms. Wilma Lutsch
Spain Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) Dr. Borja Heredia
 
Government Agencies
Power Africa -USAID   Ms. Lauren Russel
U.S. Geological Survey Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center Dr. James (Jay) Diffendorfer
U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)  

Dr. Alicia De la Cruz-Novey

Dr. Jennifer Balachowski

 
Secretariats of Relevant MEAs
AEWA Secretariat   Dr. Jacques Trouvilliez
Mr. Sergey Dereliev
AEWA Technical Committee   Ms. Maria Dias
CMS Secretariat   Dr. Iván Ramírez
CMS Raptors MOU Coordinating Unit   Dr. Umberto Gallo-Orsi
EUROBATS Secretariat  

Mr. Andreas Streit

Dr. Christian Voigt

CBD Secretariat   Mr. Tristan Tyrrell
Ramsar Convention Secretariat   Ms. Maria Rivera
 
Other Relevant Organizations and Institutions
African Development Bank (AfDB)  

Dr. Maman-Sani  Issa

Dr. Osric Tening Forton

African Union   Mr. Rashid Ali Abdallah
Dr. Haruna Kachalla Gujba
African Sustainable Energy Association   Mr. Chris Edeh
Birdlife International  

Dr. Rhiannon Niven

Mr. Tris Allinson

British Trust for Ornithology   Dr. James Pearce-Higgins
Mr. Chris Thaxter
East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership  

Ms. Jennifer George

Ms. Kyle Esperanza Zuleta

Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)  

Mr. Willem Constantyn Hoogstad

Mr. Oscar Mohale

European Bank of Reconstruction and Development   Mr. Robert Adamczyk
International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Bank Group   Ms. Lori Anna Conzo
IRENA   Dr. Ute Collier
Renewables Grid Initiative   Mr. Andrew Carryer
WindEurope   Mr. Mattia Cecchinato
World Bank   Mr. Peter Moore
     

 

OBSERVERS

American Bird Conservancy (ABC)  

Dr. David A. Wiedenfeld

Mr. Lewis Grove

Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK)   Ms. Vera Voronova
Birdlife South Africa  

Ms. Samantha Ralston Paton

Mr. John Gibbs

China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation  

Dr. Zhou Jinfeng

Ms. Linda Wong

EuroNatur  

Mr. Stefan Ferger

Ms. Ilka Beermann

Global Union of Bat Diversity Networks (GBatNet)  

Dr. Winifred Frick

Dr. Tigga Kingston

Groupe de Recherche pour la Protection des Oiseaux au Maroc (GREPOM/BirdLife Morocco)  

Ms. Khadija Bourass

Mr. Mohammed Ameziane

Nature Kenya   Dr. Paul Matiku
Ms. Serah Munguti
Mr. Paul Gacheru
Nature Conservation Egypt (NCE)   Mr. Khaled El Noby
Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU)  

Ms. Carla Freund

Mr. Steffen Laube

Hellenic Ornithological Society (HOS)    Mr. Tsiopelas Nikos
Macedonian Ecological Society (MES)   Ms. Danka Uzunova
The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Jordan (RSCN)   Mr. Tareq Qaneer
International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey (IAF)   Mr. Janusz Sielicki
ORÉE   

Ms. Hélène Leriche

Ms. Lisa Devignol

Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE)                    

Mr. Ali Mahmoud Khazma

Dr. Jauad El Kharraz

IUCN - Mediterranean Center  

Ms. Catherine Numa

Ms. Helena Clavero

Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)                 Dr. Rodrigo Medellin
Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society  

Mr. Mengistu Wondafrash

Mr. Mekonnen Biru

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)  

Ms. Helen Quayle 

Ms. Isobel Morris

Sociedade para Conservação das Aves do Brasil (SAVE-Brasil)   Ms. Raquel Cavalho
Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL)  

Ms. Bassima Khatib

Mr. Elie El Haddad

South African Bat Assessment Association (SABAA)  

Ms. Eleanor Richardson

Dr. Caroline Lötter

UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)  

Ms. Rowana Walton

Dr. Sebastian Dunnett

 

Studies/Publications

Wind Turbines:

Power Lines:

Case studies:

Guidelines:

Useful Links

ETF Online Workspace
7th ETF Meeting, Apr 2024ETF Interim Meeting, Oct 2023Energy Developments and Migratory BirdsSide Event MENA Climate Week, 29 March 20226th ETF Meeting, VirtualSide Event UNFCCC COP26, 9 Nov 2021Webinar, 2 Dec 20205th ETF Meeting, VirtualETF August 2020 Virtual Meeting4th ETF Meeting, Paris, France 3rd ETF Meeting, Sharm El Sheik, Egypt 2nd ETF Meeting, Bonn, Germany 1st ETF Meeting, Cape Town, SA

 

Fact Sheets

 

Video

 

ETF Newsletter

The Government of India, through the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change were recognized as Champion Plus for their generous support and commitment towards Making energy safe for wildlife for the period 2020-2023. The operations of the Energy Task Force have been funded with the contribution granted by India under the Migratory Species Champion Programme.