Kuempel_offshore_wind_CIA

Offshore renewable energy holds promise for sustainably achieving emission reduction targets. However, offshore industries transform land and seascapes with resultant trade-offs for both nature and people. Cumulative impacts have long been a challenging issue for environmental management, creating uncertainty around development limits in a region and risks to financial investments, particularly for nascent industries and governments striving to meet tight deadlines for international commitments. Here, we provide recommendations for improved accounting of cumulative impacts in offshore renewable energy sectors based on scientific best practice including: 1) clear pathways from activity to impact, 2) accounting for the full suite of cumulative impacts, 3) integration across realms and jurisdictions, 4) systematic planning processes to guide fair and equitable development opportunities within and across sectors, and 5) transparent and reproducible assessments. We demonstrate opportunities and challenges of implementing our recommendations using offshore wind project proposals in Australia, where the development of the offshore wind industry is in progress. Our recommendations outline key considerations for cumulative impact accounting in offshore energy development globally, and increase potential for positive outcomes for people and nature across these rapidly expanding sectors.