As the global energy system shifts from fossil fuel to renewable energy, the transition itself can also create negative impacts on biodiversity, through changes in land and sea use, direct exploitation of natural resources, barriers for migratory species, and more. Addressing one challenge at the expense of another should be avoided. In this context, the energy sector is increasingly being called upon to adopt an integrated approach that addresses climate change and biodiversity loss together, rather than treating them as separate issues.

The energy sector is one of the sectors with relatively high quantified direct impacts on biodiversity. In addition, the rapid pace of the energy transition is driving increased demand for minerals and other natural resources, which could potentially lead to further extraction and associated environmental impacts. Such activities can affect local livelihoods and may have significant implications for indigenous peoples and local communities, as the extractive projects are often developed in or near areas where they live and depend on natural resources.

In October, Parties will review progress towards the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) at COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia. Through discussion based on the global report, Parties are expected to identify areas where accelerated action is most needed. Collective actions and efforts by all actors will be essential to achieve the Framework’s 23 action-oriented targets by 2030 and its four long-term goals by 2050.

Businesses play significant roles in halting and reversing biodiversity loss, given that all businesses depend on and impact biodiversity and therefore have the potential to become powerful agents of positive change. There are many actions that businesses can take now to benefit both their operations and biodiversity. (IPBES 2026)

Following previous editions, the Business and Biodiversity Newsletter will spotlight the energy sector and share concrete examples of action on the ground that can inform and inspire. By learning from these experiences, business and other stakeholders can adapt practical approaches to suit their own regional and local contexts.

Registration is now open for participation in CBD COP17, which will take place from 19 to 30 October 2026. Please note that in accordance with the Rules of Procedure for meetings of the Conference of the Parties, all official meetings are open to organizations and agencies, whether governmental or nongovernmental, qualified in fields relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, which have informed the Secretariat of their wish to be represented at the meetings.

For-profit organizations including businesses and financial institutions as a general rule cannot register in their own capacity for official meetings. For profit organizations wishing to participate can do so through: a) business associations that are observers to the CBD; b) as part of a non-governmental organization delegation, where they are involved in conservation partnerships or projects or; c) as part of the official country delegation.

The deadline for accredited organizations to nominate participants is 15 September 2026, whereas new organizations requesting admission as observer should submit their accreditation request, including a letter and supporting documentation, by 31 August 2026.

The information note for participants for COP17 is now available on the designated website. The information note serves as a comprehensive guide for participants, containing essential information about COP17, including logistics such as accommodation, transportation, the venue, and more. Please note that it will be updated regularly as details are finalized. Participants are encouraged to check the designated website frequently to stay informed about the latest updates.

Secretariat of the CBD has launched the Communities of Practice Webinar Series in response to a request from Parties contained in decision 16/13 on “Mainstreaming biodiversity within and across sectors”. The series brings together partners, experts, practitioners, and representatives of relevant communities of practice and existing networks to exchange practical experiences and approaches for integrating biodiversity considerations into strategies, operations, and value chain management.

To date, webinars have focused on a range of sectors, including infrastructure, mining, fisheries, finance, forestry and circular economy. More webinars will be organized as part of the series, continuing to explore sector-specific opportunities, challenges, and practical approaches to mainstream biodiversity.

A practice case from member of UK Business & Biodiversity Forum (UKBBF)

PowerPlant 2.0 is a practical guidance document developed to help Europe’s power sector address biodiversity alongside climate change. WSP supported Eurelectric, the federation representing more than 3,500 European utilities, as knowledge partner in its development.

The guide sets out Europe-wide principles, success factors and practical actions for integrating biodiversity across the full project lifecycle, from siting and design through construction, operation and decommissioning. It applies to solar, onshore and offshore wind, hydropower including pumped storage, and electricity distribution grid projects.

By translating biodiversity objectives into clear, actionable guidance, PowerPlant 2.0 helps developers manage ecological risks and identify opportunities early in project planning. It also provides policymakers with a consistent framework to support the delivery of energy infrastructure that works for nature as well as people.

A practice case from member of Keidanren Nature Conservation Council (KNCC)

Based on the “Forestry Development Activity Agreement under the ‘Hokkaido Corporate Forest Creation Initiative’” concluded with Hokkaido in 2021, the HEPCO Group, electric power company based in Hokkaido, Japan, launched its 70th anniversary commemorative project.

Over the five years through 2025, we carried out tree-planting activities in the Domin-no-mori Forest Park in Tobetsu Town, planting a total of approximately 6,000 trees over 3 hectares.

This initiative aims not only to restore forests and protect watershed environments, but also to develop forestry talent rooted in the local community. Through collaboration between the private sector and educational institutions, it also contributes to the creation of sustainable regional communities.

A practice case from the alliance between Jujury HidroCarburos and ProYungas, which established PPP.

The alliance between the company Jujuy Hidrocarburos SAU and the ProYungas Foundation exemplifies how the private sector can lead the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) through scientific monitoring in productive landscapes.

The Caimancito hydrocarbon field, located in the Yungas ecoregion, within the Yungas Biosphere Reserve and adjacent to the Calilegua National Park, functions as a critical buffer zone and biological corridor. Through a camera trap system active since 2019, a notable trophic integrity has been documented with the sustained presence of 23 species of medium and large mammals, including apex predators such as the puma and the Neotropical otter, and "forest architects" like the tapir.

This continuous effort not only validates the conservation status of the site but also consolidates a management model where extractive activity coexists with the preservation of essential ecosystem services and regional connectivity.

Two practice cases from Biodiversity Foundation, which established IEEB

This project has developed and tested sustainable livestock grazing strategies within operating photovoltaic plants as management tool to restore soils, enhance biodiversity, and generate ecosystem services without compromising energy production.

It has also developed a Geographic Information System (GIS), consisting of a geospatial database integrating technical and territorial data on over 200 photovoltaic plants, including their location, characteristics, and associated environmental information, supported by a web-based viewer and regular update protocols.

The project’s added value lies in enabling better environmental management and evidence-based decision-making, improving transparency and accessibility of data, and supporting more sustainable, multifunctional land use that combines renewable energy production with biodiversity conservation and rural economic opportunities.

This project developed a scientific monitoring network using GPS tracking and remote sensing technologies to assess the impacts of wind farms on wildlife and improve environmental impact assessment procedures. It generated scientific studies, environmental sensitivity maps, predictive models, and a protocol with recommendations for biodiversity protection, mitigation measures, and environmental monitoring in wind energy projects.

The project’s added value lies in supporting a more sustainable deployment of renewable energy by improving the compatibility between wind power development and biodiversity conservation. It provides evidence-based tools and recommendations for public authorities, environmental managers, and planners regarding proper placing and monitoring of wind energy facilities to better protect wildlife, strengthen environmental legislation compliance, and improve long-term ecosystem conservation while advancing the energy transition.

The Chinese sturgeon, an endemic migratory species of the Yangtze River and a nationally protected wild animal, is known as the "giant panda in water." Since the 1960s, overfishing and hydrological changes have degraded its habitat, causing a sharp decline in wild populations.

China Three Gorges Corporation has expanded its ecological benefits by establishing a large-scale rare fish conservation center since its operation began. It has achieved advancing state-of-the-art technologies in synthetic hormone induction, large-sized fingerling cultivation, and fully artificial multi-generational captive breeding, building a complete artificial population protection system. Meanwhile, stock enhancement activities have been continuously carried out. In 2024 alone, the release volume exceeded one million fingerlings, which has significantly replenished the natural population of Chinese sturgeon.

This case was included in the Catalogue of Energy Transition Promoting Biodiversity Conservation released by GEIDCO at COP16, highlighting its contribution to rare aquatic species protection.

China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) adheres to natural energy powering nature and innovatively integrates nature-based marine restoration solutions into the construction of offshore wind power projects, promoting the integrated development that combines clean energy production, deep-sea aquaculture, ecological enhancement and coastal eco-tourism.

In September 2024, CGN successfully began its operation on the world's largest wind-fishery integrated cage platform, i.e. “Fuxi No.1”. It has created an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system, adopting bottom seeding enrichment technology, co-cultivating fed species (fish and shrimp) with extractive species (shellfish and seaweed) to improve the aquaculture environment and marine ecological chain. At the same time, the introduction of artificial ecological reefs and coral nurseries around the nets creates shelter for wild fish, helps restore the coral ecosystem, and enhances the ecological balance and species diversity within the marine ranching area.

The project is expected to produce around 900 tonnes of high-quality marine fish per year, with an annual output value of RMB 54 million, thereby serving as an important global demonstration of the integrated development of the "offshore wind + marine ranching" industry. In 2025, “Fuxi No. 1” passed the construction inspection conducted by China Classification Society (CCS) and received the first CCS classification certificate for a wind-fishery integrated cage platform in China.

The silver-lipped pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima), a national Class II protected animal in China, has seen a drastic population decline since the 1990s due to deteriorating marine environments and is now endangered. While guaranteeing energy supply, the Hainan Nuclear Power Base of China National Nuclear Corporation (HNPC) advances eco-friendly utilization of sea areas for industrial purposes and prioritizes the emergency conservation of this species.

Using waste heat to warm the water, the project carries out research on integrated marine utilization, and has achieved systematic advances in technologies for large-scale artificial breeding and high-survival-rate cultivation of the Pinctada maxima. Shells grow by 7-10 cm, and pearls reach 18 mm, meeting international premium standards. The project was recognized with the Hainan Science and Technology Progress First Prize, for closing the domestic large-scale cultivation gap.

This practice turns industrial sea areas into a biodiversity conservation hub, protecting endangered shellfish in situ. The “nuclear energy + ecological breeding” model illustrates the potential for clean energy facilities to support species recovery efforts while contributing to broader biodiversity, climate, marine protection, and livelihoods.

The Dadu River, the largest tributary of the Minjiang River in the Yangtze River system, originates from the south-eastern foothills of the Guoluo Mountains in Qinghai Province. As a key component of the upper Yangtze River ecological barrier and the "Chinese Water Tower", the Dadu River bears the important responsibility of protecting biodiversity and water conservation.

Since its establishment in 2000, CHN Energy Dadu River Hydropower Development Company has adhered to the principle of “ecology first, green development”. Focusing on the ecological system construction of the Dadu River basin and following the “Four Links” orientation, the company has innovatively built a “four-in-one” fish diversity protection system that integrates “restoring river connectivity, artificial breeding and release, habitat protection, and ecological operation”.

By integrating these four approaches, the company seeks to address the challenges of balancing hydropower development with ecological protection. The initiative has successfully demonstrated how biodiversity protection in can be incorporated into China’s hydropower industry. It can be replicable and scalable in other river basin elsewhere.

Located in the rocky mountainous region of Guyang County, Baotou, the Guohua Solar-Storage Power Station faces challenges of water scarcity and widespread surface stones. To address these challenges, the project adopted an “eco-compatibility” strategy focusing on minimal intervention.

During construction, the team implemented strict “in-situ conservation”, including mapping and preserving native mosses, lichens, and drought-resistant shrubs growing on natural rocks. By utilizing high-stilt foundation designs, the project minimized damage to the original topography.

Unlike conventional models, the Photovoltaic arrays serve as windbreaks and shade providers, reducing surface evaporation and creating microhabitats for reptiles, insects, and small rodents. The integrated energy storage system ensures stable operation, reducing the need for frequent maintenance that could disturb the ecosystem. This project demonstrates a viable path for clean energy development in ecologically fragile rocky terrains worldwide.

Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

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