| Biodiversity loss, the climate crisis and resulting increased extreme weather events and reduced resilience of ecosystems represent the largest actual and future threats to the global economy. Habitat loss and fragmentation, land use change, neobiota and pollution, to a large extent also coupled with climate change are the main stressors responsible for the current critical situation of biodiversity. The climate crisis is combated mainly by promoting renewable energy. However, an unregulated expansion of renewable energy can drastically fuel the biodiversity crisis. In Europe and Austria, the interrelationships and potential conflicts between the biodiversity and climate crises are currently not sufficiently recognized and addressed, neither on a professional nor on a political level. However, solutions are urgently needed.
Biodiversity and climate change mitigation are essential to maintaining the well-being of society. The need to implement effective measures quickly is therefore reflected in numerous EU directives and laws, in particular the European Climate Change Act and the EU Biodiversity Strategy. However, measures to achieve climate targets can have a negative impact on habitats and associated species.
In order to counteract conflicting goals between biodiversity protection, renewable energy extension and other uses, spatial and regulatory planning instruments have recently been developed in Austria (e.g., criteria catalogues, water management regional programs, zoning plans for wind and PV and lately, the integrated network infrastructure plan). However, these instruments are based on very heterogeneous approaches, without consistent and sustainable perspectives. Due to the lack of consistent criteria across sectors and federal states, a systematic evaluation and the derivation of measures related to biodiversity protection aspects is hardly possible with these instruments.
Within the framework of this project, important criteria of biodiversity protection are therefore to be identified and combined in a GIS-based approach in order to develop scenario-based solutions for a sustainable energy transition without significantly impacting biodiversity. Through the identification of possible conflicts and identifiable synergies between climate- and biodiversity protection, the project thus will support the joint achievement of nature conservation and climate goals. |