4Sea Coalition

For offshore wind energy to be succesful, nature cannot be an afterthought.   "Success of offshore wind is not about success of wind alone, but about all systems that exist at sea, including biodiversity." - keynote speaker Huub den Rooijen CBE at the 'Strong Winds, Thriving Seas' conference, which I was happy to attend yesterday #ThrivingSeas2024.   Some key takeaways: - The story of nature inclusive offshore wind energy must be a positive one, where we must seize the many opportunities it provides us for biodiversity conservation and restoration. - Protecting and restoring marine ecosystems cannot come after optimising offshore wind. It must go hand in hand and be done at the same time. - To properly protect marine ecosystems and achieve our climate goals, we need to think beyond the borders of individual countries and start planning at a seabasin and regional level. - Sound marine spatial planning is a must. - There is an urgent need for more policy coherence. We need to demand our politicians to implement the biodiversity and climate promises and agreements they make.   Thank you Ariel Brunner for reminding us of what must be a priority: "Our sea is struggling - wind cannot become another pressure on an already suffering system. It needs to have a possitive effect."   Thank you Renewables Grid Initiative, WindEurope, and the Offshore Coalition for Energy and Nature (OCEaN) for organizing this very interesting event! #NorthSea #4Sea #natureinclusivedesign #offshorewind

Nature inclusive design needs to be an integral part of offshore wind energy projects. Together with all stakeholders we can make this possible!

📢All parties must come together to find offshore solutions. Following last week's news about the increased cost estimate for the Princess Elisabeth Island, we are calling for an urgent dialogue on the future of offshore wind energy in the Belgian North Sea. Colleague Almut Bonhage, Bond Beter Leefmilieu energy policy expert: "There is no alternative but to proceed with a rapid expansion of the Princess Elisabeth offshore wind zone. The ambition to have wind energy from the second zone in the North Sea by 2030 is crucial for security of supply and affordability of electricity in Belgium. Given the urgency, further delay is unacceptable." Collague Sarah Tilkin, North Sea policy officer Natuurpunt: "However, the carrying capacity of North Sea nature remains important when expanding offshore electricity production. Offshore wind should go hand in hand with nature restoration. Nature-inclusive design of wind farms is part of the solution for this." Read our press release here (in Dutch): https://lnkd.in/eP6NEjTB #natureinclusivedesign #NorthSea #4Sea #offshorewind #naturerestoration

Very proud to announce that from January 2025 on Belgium take over the rotating presidency of the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC). It is an honour for Belgium to assume the Presidency of the North Sea Energy Cooperation in 2025, following the foundations laid by the Danish Presidency. We will continue to unlock the immense potential of the North Sea to provide green, sustainable energy for Europe. Our focus will be on strengthening multilateral cooperation, harmonising standards, promoting public participation and integrating non-price criteria into tendering processes, while protecting biodiversity.

Zeven miljard euro. Dit cijfer circuleert als kostprijs voor het energie-eiland vandaag in de media. Het cijfer is niet bevestigd, maar het doet veel stof opwaaien. Lees zeker de iets gedetailleerder artikel door Wim Winckelmans over het onderwerp: https://lnkd.in/e3TNqQ98 En denk eens erover na hoe je de valkuilen van megaprojecten kan voorkomen - zoals Ruben Baetens het daarnet goed samenvatte: https://lnkd.in/ePZrJGij Hoe dan ook: Er is geen alternatief dan verder te gaan met een snelle uitbouw van de offshore windzone Prinses Elisabeth. De ambitie om tegen 2030 windenergie van de tweede zone in de Noordzee te hebben, is cruciaal voor de bevoorradingszekerheid en betaalbaarheid van elektriciteit in België. Gezien de urgentie is verdere vertraging onaanvaardbaar. 4Sea - WWF-Belgium, Natuurpunt, Greenpeace Belgium en Bond Beter Leefmilieu - dringt er bij CREG, ELIA en de federale regering op aan om constructief samen te werken aan haalbare oplossingen. Persbericht door 4Sea Coalition: https://lnkd.in/eP6NEjTB #energietransitie #offshorewind #PEZ #megaprojects

Things are not going well with nature in the Belgian North Sea - and in the North Sea altogether. Yet we need offshore wind energy for our full transition to renewable energy by 2050.   Good news: Thriving nature and offshore wind energy can coexist!   Elia Group's latest publication, ‘Going Like the Wind’, shows how to maximise the renewable energy potential of Europe's seas. A highlight for the 4Sea Coalition? The importance of nature inclusive design was mentioned in the report. The industry recognising nature inclusive design as essential is a big, positive step toward a future with more nature and renewable energy in the North Sea. Shout-out to Steven Degraer and Piet Opstaele for highlighting the need for nature inclusive design in offshore projects! #4Sea #NorthSea #natureinclusivedesign #offshore #natureconservation

Today, Seas At Risk, WWF, ClientEarth, BirdLife International, Oceana, and Surfrider Foundation Europe launched 'The Blue Manifesto: the roadmap to a healthy ocean in 2030' at the European Parliament. #EUOceanWeek   🌊Our ocean is one of our biggest allies in the fight against climate change. We simply cannot do without a healthy and thriving ocean.   Europe's seas are under severe pressure; they are deteriorating at an ever increasing rate. EU member states are yet to undertake sufficient actions for our ocean. Europe is already feeling and seeing the devastating impacts of climate change. It is simple: we need urgent and immediate action to protect, conserve, and restore the seas we depend on.   👉How do we do this? With The Blue Manifesto, a roadmap of 50 policy measures and actionable solutions has been laid out for EU member states to achieve healthy, thriving seas by 2030. Because time is of the essence.   During today's event, the biggest messages were straightforward: - Implementation: stop talking, and start implementing. We know what to do and why we should do it, the question is when and how it will happen. - Dedicated funding: redirect investments away from harmful subsidies, and towards actionable, ocean- and environement-centered policies. - Hollistic, integrated approach: ocean policy = climate policy = social policy. We cannot separate a healthy ocean from human well-being. - Commitment: EU member states should commit to a sustainable and equitable future for generations to come. Strong ocean policy implementation will get us closer to such a future. We have the solutions, let's get to work! #4Sea #NorthSea #Oceanprotection #Marineconservation

Vind je de Belgische kust gewoon lelijk? Er is wel ruimte voor meer natuur. Kustconnectiviteit heet het toverwoord om de kust aan de natuur terug te geven. Kustconnectiviteit is de meest effectieve manier om een biodiverse kustlijn en kustbescherming te realiseren. Met 4Sea zetten we ons in om dit formeel te erkennen in het beleid. Volg het 4Sea profiel en we houden je van alles op de hoogte.

🌅Is there still room for nature in our Belgian coast? This is the question you may ask when you scan our coastline, as most of what you see are buildings. Could you imagine a Belgian coast where sandbanks, beaches, dunes, and polders are connected in one flowing landscape? A coast where nature gets its rightful spot next to the existing buildings, where you can enjoy all types of coastal vegetation, and most importantly a coast that protects us against the effects of the climate crisis. 🌊Coastal connectivity is a crucial ally in the fight against the climate crisis. Both offshore sandbanks, and beaches and dunes dampen wave energy, reducing the force with which waves crash on the coast. Dynamic dunes provide natural coastal protection against sea level rise and are our natural piggy bank for coastal sand supplies. By investing in coastal connectivity along the entire Belgian coast, we are also investing in restoring our natural coastal protection. 🌟4Sea asks coastal connectivity be formally recognized as the most effective way to achieve a climate-resilient, biodiverse coastline and coastal protection now and in the future. #coastalprotection #dunes #climatechange #4Sea #NorthSea Image: Gert Vanautgaerden

Did you know that around 60 species of seabirds are found in the Belgian part of the North Sea? This is thanks to the diverse fauna of fish, crustaceans, and shellfish that live in our sea. 🌊Seabirds are an important part of the marine ecosystem, yet they experience multiple threats to their survival. In our North Sea, where space is limited, the combination of multiple offshore wind parks in different zones lead to cumulative barrier effects on migratory and local seabirds. Barrier effects caused by wind farms occur when birds prefer to fly around a wind farm rather than traverse it, leading to longer air travel during migration or when they commute between colonies and foraging areas. This, in turn, can lead to higher energy expenditure, further affecting individual survival and reproduction. Furthermore, in the case of extensive barrier effects, access to undeveloped areas may be cut off by wind farms, making otherwise suitable marine habitat unavailable to seabirds. 🤔Can you imagine a horizon without birds? Neither can we! ✔That is why 4Sea asks for bird migration corridors and a marine protected area for birds in the new marine spatial plan. This will give seabirds the space they need to migrate, rest, breed, and forage. #NorthSea #birdprotection #renewableenergy #4Sea #marineplanning #marinereserve Image: Misjel Decleer