Monitoring Biodiversity at Sea: Ensuring a Nature-Positive Approach

Introduction

As offshore wind energy expanded globally, the need for robust, standardised biodiversity monitoring became increasingly urgent. Monitoring marine biodiversity was essential for understanding and mitigating the impacts of offshore infrastructure on nature and supporting evidence-based decision-making, fostering regulatory alignment, and ensuring that the energy transition was ecologically responsible.

This 90-minute GINGR webinar, organised in collaboration with IUCN, OCEaN, and RGI, explored emerging approaches to biodiversity monitoring in the context of offshore wind and grid development. The session opened with a keynote from Dr PJ Stephenson, who discussed the challenges and opportunities of standardising biodiversity monitoring, as well as innovative technologies and frameworks shaping the future of data collection for marine species. As the author of GINGR’s recent publication on this topic, Dr. Stephenson’s presentation also touched on the paper’s key conclusions.

The webinar featured regional case studies from the North Sea and Asia, offering practical insights into how different regulatory contexts influenced monitoring approaches and how methodologies were adapted to local ecological conditions and applied by industry. Speakers highlighted lessons learned, best practices, and strategies for harmonising biodiversity monitoring in different regions and across borders.

Participants were invited to engage in this timely discussion on advancing biodiversity monitoring to support a Nature-Positive energy transition. Through expert presentations and an interactive panel discussion, the session explored how consistent, transparent, and collaborative monitoring practices could underpin responsible offshore wind and grid development and help align energy and biodiversity protection goals.

The Global Initiative for Nature, Grids and Renewables (GINGR)

GINGR aims to support the just and sustainable energy transition by providing assessment tools to quantify contributions to Nature- and People-Positive goals. To facilitate this, we intend to develop monitoring and reporting systems that are globally aligned and standardised.