Title: Offshore wind farms and biodiversity- governance lessons from the North Sea
Presenter: Dr Helena Solman (Wageningen University, the Netherlands)
When: Tues 1st April 2025, 11am-12pm
Where: Aurora Lecture Theatre (IMAS Salamanca) and online https://utas.zoom.us/j/82219563056
Bio: Helena Solman is a postdoctoral researcher, at the Environmental Policy Group. Her work focuses on digitalization, biodiversity governance and offshore wind energy. She is actively involved in the formation of EU policy for wind energy through ETIP wind and SET plan.
Summary: As offshore wind expands in the North Sea, balancing renewable energy development with marine biodiversity protection becomes critical. This seminar explores the governance challenges and opportunities in integrating offshore wind with ecosystem conservation. It examines policy frameworks, stakeholder dynamics, and digital innovations shaping biodiversity-friendly offshore wind planning. Drawing on fieldwork with experts and stakeholders in the North Sea Region, I highlight best practices, regulatory gaps, and emerging digital solutions for sustainable offshore wind deployment. Finally, I propose a collaborative and ecosystem-based governance approach for offshore wind and biodiversity and would like to open up a discussion about issues and solutions for offshore wind and biodiversity in Australia.
