2024/025: Renewable Energy and Migratory Species

The CMS Energy Task Force was established by Resolution 11.27 (Rev.COP13). This Notification addresses two requests to Parties and other Stakeholders for relevant information.  

1. Seeking information on existing tools and guidance relating to impacts of renewal energy on migratory species:

Decisions 14.209 a) and d) request the CMS Energy Task Force (ETF) to:

a)   review tools and provide guidance for assessing and mitigating the impacts of renewable energy and power line developments on migratory species across flyways and throughout species’ ranges, including in areas beyond national jurisdiction; this includes standardized approaches for post-construction monitoring of renewable energy projects, and a review of existing tools, such as AVISTEP;

d)   gather information on the risks, and negative impacts on migratory species of the energy sector along their operations, supply and value chains, in order to progressively reduce negative impacts on biodiversity, increase positive impacts and promote actions to ensure sustainable patterns of production.

To support the ETF, the Secretariat is seeking existing tools, guidelines, reports or repositories produced for assessing and mitigating impacts of renewable energy and power line developments, and information on the risks and negative impacts caused by them, as per the Decisions above. Responses are requested to be emailed by 25 November 2024 to the CMS Secretariat: [email protected].

Please note this request concerns migratory birds, bats, and cetaceans, based on the current scope and activities under the ETF. Kindly indicate which taxa your response (including links or documents) applies to. Resources related to other migratory species are also welcome.

2. Seeking members for the Marine Species Working Group:

The 7th Meeting of the ETF (April 2024) established a number of new working groups, one of them on marine species, focusing on cetaceans. The Secretariat is hereby seeking cetacean experts for this working group, who could contribute to implementing Decisions 14.209 a) and d). Expressions of interest are requested to be emailed by 25 November 2024 to the CMS Secretariat: [email protected].

For further information please consult Iván Ramírez at [email protected].