Type of request: Knowledge Synthesis
The aim of the request is to examine the multi-level impacts of the planned expansion of wind energy production at sea, including cumulative impacts on marine ecosystems and on the achievement of good environmental status (GES). This request is made in support of the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and may also contribute to its ongoing review.
Requester: European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment (EC – DG ENV)
Funder: EU Horizon Europe project “Connecting biodiversity knowledge and decision-making” – BioAgora. BioAgora will develop the architecture and functionality of the new European “Science Service for Biodiversity” that will fully support the ecological transition required by the European Green Deal and the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.
Methods protocol (revised version)
Review of the methods protocol (comments from reviewers)
Peer-review process (Draft evidence report – replies)
Press release new evidence report
Final Evidence Report on “Impacts of offshore wind farm expansion: what are the consequences for achieving Good Environmental Status across European marine waters?” – October 2025 – New evidence report
© Nicholas Doherty/Unsplash
The aim of the request is to examine the multi-level impacts of the planned expansion of wind energy production at sea, including cumulative impacts on marine ecosystems and on the achievement of good environmental status (GES). Such analysis is critically needed considering the increase in challenging targets for renewable energy sources that need to be achieved by Member States in the coming years, a large percentage of which are likely to be offshore. Existing studies on cohabitation between offshore wind energy production and nature tend to focus, in particular, on marine protected areas (MPAs) or the protection of species (e.g. birds). Existing knowledge misses an analysis relevant to all the dimensions (descriptors) of good environmental status as per the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Such analysis, which includes literature reviews and scenarios modelling, should look at how offshore wind energy expansion might affect the achievement of GES, considering the GES threshold values set by Member States for a number of GES criteria (such as seabed loss, impulsive noise, contaminant levels, species abundance, etc.) and the subsequent cumulative impacts. The study should empower the Commission to propose solutions, including in the context of the Member States’ MSFD Programmes of Measures and the MSFD review, to make sure that offshore wind energy expansion does not impede the achievement of GES under the MSFD, considering the entire lifecycle of offshore wind power plants (including their decommissioning), whatever the type of turbine (monopiles, floating, tripods, etc.). These solutions could, for example, relate to marine spatial planning (e.g. current developments in the context of the Greater North Sea Initiative), in particular considering the cumulative impacts of other human activities on the marine environment. Identification of other solutions (for instance technological) would also be welcome.
The planned developments of offshore wind production in order to achieve the targets set in EU and national legislation and policies are likely to be at such a large scale that they will have impacts on marine ecosystems and marine ecosystem functioning, including seabed habitat loss, disruption of migratory routes of mobiles species, including birds and cetaceans, deadly collisions with birds, disruption of feeding and breeding grounds of a number of species, underwater noise during development and maintenance, input of contaminants and litter and changes to hydrographical conditions. Almost all descriptors of good environmental status are likely to be impacted by these developments.
The scoping phase is the second step within the Eklipse process. It aims to refine the question, identify how Eklipse could provide added value by being involved, seek knowledge and expertise on the refined question via an open Call for Knowledge (CfK), and provide suggestions regarding methods and resources needed to answer the request.
A Call for Knowledge (CfK) was released during the scoping phase to identify research gaps and policy needs.
The Document of Work (DoW) described the results of the scoping activities and the background of the request, serving as the basis for the call for experts.
Selection of an Expert Working Group
To answer this request, Eklipse launched a Call for Expertise (CfE). We received 15 applications, from which 11 experts were selected in June 2024. These experts represented a broad range of expertise, as well as diverse gender and geographical backgrounds, to form the Eklipse Expert Working Group (EWG). One expert dropped out initially due to unavailability.
Methods Protocol
The EWG has developed a methodological protocol based on the DoW. The methods protocol was open for public review in September 2024. Eight reviews were received during the consultation process. The EWG addressed and incorporated the reviewers’ comments, and the final version of the methods protocol can be downloaded from the Final Outputs section (above).
Online workshop
A three-hour virtual participatory workshop was held on April 10, 2025, to explore and assess the findings of the scoping review. The workshop’s primary aim was to capture expert knowledge and insights to validate and expand upon the scoping review’s findings, particularly in identifying knowledge gaps and generating additional evidence focused on managing cumulative impacts. The workshop also aimed to identify possible actions for each of the 11 descriptors related to the core phenomena of interest, including cumulative impacts, physical and chemical impacts, effects on habitats and biodiversity, and broader ecological interactions, as well as potential mitigation strategies.
Finalisation
The EWG has finalised the synthesis evidence report on “Impacts of offshore wind farm expansion: what are the consequences for achieving Good Environmental Status across European marine waters?” and underwent an external peer review process. From the review process, 19 external reviewers provided comments. The EWG has integrated the comments from this process, and the final evidence report is publicly available on our website from 29/10/2025
