Scenario 6: Protecting Biodiversity in Renewable Energy Power Plants

Institutions Involved:

• VET providers: Leading the project and providing academic support.
• Local Government: Partnering to provide real-world challenges and data.
• Stakeholders: Offering insights and practical challenges related to biodiversity.
• Others: environmental NGOs, intergovernmental agencies and organisations; biodiversity specialists; financial institutions, research institutions, private for profit

Challenge Providers: Companies, public bodies, NGOs and civil society organizations committed with the protection of biodiversity

Number of Learners: 20-30 students divided into 4-5 teams of 6 members each.

Learners: VET students from various disciplines including environmental and digital sciences.

Duration: 4-5 months

To develop and implement digital solutions for monitoring/protecting biodiversity through a collaborative project with entities committed with the protection of biodiversity.

Protecting biodiversity requires a multifaceted approach involving individual actions, community engagement, and strong government policies. By working together, we can safeguard the rich tapestry of life on Earth for present and future generations.  The following objectives are foreseen for this scenario:

• Identifying challenges and opportunities regarding biodiversity protection at local scale.

• Developing innovative and practical solutions to improve biodiversity tailored to the local context and needs
• Collaborating with stakeholders to implement and evaluate the proposed solutions

• Raising awareness about global/local biodiversity loss among the local community.

• Structure of the Challenging Case:
• • How biodiversity is protected in the local context by public and private entities?
  • What are the current challenges faced by the local community in terms of protecting biodiversity?
  • How can technology be leveraged to improve the efficiency of measures for biodiversity protection?
• Guiding Questions:
  • What are the key factors contributing to reduce biodiversity in the local context?
  • How can alternative solutions contribute to improve biodiversity at local scale?
  • What are the best practices from other projects that can be applied to the local project?

• Problems to be Solved:
  • Current threats on biodiversity imposed human activities.
  • Inefficiencies in current biodiversity protection measures.
  • Lack of awareness and engagement from the community regarding biodiversity protection.
• Statement of Local Issues:
  • The municipalities and regional authorities face challenges in protecting biodiversity and improving the monitoring of most threatened species their region. The involvement of the community and local institutions is crucial to address these issues effectively.

The following plan is necessary to effectively achieve the desire innovative solution to the problem addressed:

1. Local context Analysis: Biodiversity at the local context should be assessed with input data from different sources (environmental public bodies, research, NGOs, etc.). Learners must connect to their local public authorities and identify their specific needs. They must study their local context, including: 1) description of the challenges regarding biodiversity protection in their local context, 2) analysis of the legal framework that regulates biodiversity protection in their region and 3) identification of current mitigation practices for protecting biodiversity in the selected area. Moreover, by analyzing the ecosystems associated to the local context, including main threatened species, students will establish a foundation for understanding the existing system in terms of biodiversity, gaining awareness on the challenge.

2. Stakeholder Engagement: Parallel to local context analysis, fostering strong connections with the community is paramount. Building partnerships with local government, environmental NGOs, researchers and other stakeholders will create a collaborative environment for idea sharing and solution development. Moreover, incorporating challenge providers feedback into the solution development process ensures that the final outcomes are aligned with the community’s aspirations. Identifying the biodiversity challenges faced by the challenge provider at local level (species/groups of fauna and/or flora) and assessing the protocols and tools that are currently put in place for protecting biodiversity will serve as a starting point to design the solutions.

1. Innovative Solution Development: The heart of the project lies in innovation. Learners will engage in brainstorming sessions and design thinking exercises to generate a wealth of creative ideas. These concepts will be transformed into tangible solutions through prototyping and small-scale testing of their biodiversity monitoring/protection systems. A keen focus on technology will drive the exploration of smart solutions for biodiversity protection.
2. Technology Integration and Eco-Digitalisation: Digital solutions are at the core of modern sustainable biodiversity monitoring techniques. Students will delve into the development of innovative digital solutions and applications to address biodiversity protection challenges. The solution should be a new tool to improve current tools/measures for the protection of biodiversity. This may include: 1) Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the Internet of Things (IoT) for the monitoring of threatened species, 2) Look for more efficient materials for nest boxes, 3) Design a device that allows the recording and registration of bird songs, 4) Community-based monitoring: citizen science for biodiversity monitoring, among others, 5) Digital solutions to increase awareness on biodiversity protection, 6) Tools to identify invasive alien species, etc.

5. Testing and Refining Through Action: Once promising solutions emerge, the project transitions from concept to reality through pilot projects. These small-scale implementations allow students to test the functionality, usability, and effectiveness of their ideas in a real-world setting. Gathering feedback from stakeholders, including local authorities, environmental advisors and partner organizations, is crucial during this phase. This feedback loop enables students to refine their solutions, addressing unforeseen issues and optimizing functionalities. By iteratively testing and refining through pilot projects, students can ensure the final solutions are practical, user-friendly, and have a significant impact on the local biodiversity.

By combining these strategic approaches, learners will not only develop innovative solutions but also cultivate the skills and knowledge necessary to become leaders in biodiversity protection. Simultaneously, community engagement and education initiatives will be undertaken to raise awareness, promote behavior change, and build a supportive environment for biodiversity protection.

• Timeframes of Activities by months:
  • Month 1-2: Research and data collection.
    • Training on the scenario by leaders of Scenario
    • Contact with challenge providers and local communities
    • Identification of local needs and detailed description of the local challenge
  • Month 3: Development of solutions and prototypes.

• State-of-the-art on current solutions
• Selection of the most suitable solution for the local needs
• Develop the innovative idea to adapt the solution to the local challenge

• • Month 4: Testing and refinement of solutions.
  • Month 5: Presentation and implementation of final solutions.

Immediate Outcomes:

• • Knowledge on local biodiversity and their challenges
  • Knowledge about the regulatory framework on biodiversity at local/regional/international scales
  • Knowledge on local vulnerable and threatened species
  • Increased awareness and engagement regarding biodiversity.

Long-Term Outcomes:

• • Improved biodiversity in the region.
  • Strengthened collaboration within the local community to address current and future challenges regarding protection of biodiversity.

Innovative Aspects:

• Use of smart technology for biodiversity monitoring/protection

• • Community engagement and awareness campaigns for protecting biodiversity at local scale (citizen science).

• Owners of the Result:
  • Challenge provider committed with biodiversity protection
  • VET providers

• Local authority

• Related Outcomes:
  • Better understanding on the impacts of human activities on biodiversity
  • Improved efficiency of biodiversity protection systems.

• Enhanced collaboration within the local community towards protecting biodiversity.
• Increased awareness on biodiversity protection by the community.

• Environmental Changes:

• Reduced impacts of human activities in biodiversity.
• Improved local biodiversity.
• More resilient ecosystems.

The digital solution will allow main stakeholders of the scenario to improve their current practices for protecting most vulnerable species at local scale. 

This CBL project is designed to equip students with a valuable set of competencies that will benefit them in their academic and professional careers. Here’s a breakdown of the key competencies students can expect to develop:

Technical Skills:

• Biodiversity: Students will develop new skills to protect biodiversity and improve their knowledge on biodiversity in their local context.
• Digital Literacy: Students will gain proficiency in navigating the digital landscape and applying innovative tools.
• Project Management: Participating in a collaborative project fosters project management skills such as planning, organization, task delegation, and meeting deadlines. Students will learn to manage their time effectively and collaborate productively within a team.

Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking:

• Creative Problem-Solving: Students will be challenged to develop innovative solutions to complex challenges. Brainstorming techniques, design thinking methodologies, and user-centered approaches will be employed to encourage creative thinking and the generation of effective solutions.
• Critical Evaluation: Throughout the project, students will be required to critically evaluate proposed solutions, consider their feasibility, and assess their potential impact on sustainability and the community.

Communication and Collaboration:

• Effective Communication: Students will need to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, including peers, stakeholders and the general public. They will hone their written, verbal, and visual communication skills.
• Teamwork and Collaboration: The project emphasizes collaborative learning, requiring students to work effectively within a team. They will learn to share ideas, manage conflict, and contribute to achieving common goals.
• Stakeholder Engagement: The success of the project hinges on productive relationships with stakeholders. Students will develop skills in stakeholder identification, communication, and collaboration, understanding the importance of involving various players in the solution development process.

This comprehensive set of competencies will empower students to become future leaders in biodiversity protection. They will be equipped to tackle complex problems, innovate solutions, collaborate effectively, and contribute to a more sustainable future.

• Introduction to Goal 15 – Life on Land Micro:bit – World’sLargestLesson/ micro:bit (English)
• Endangered Animals and Number Sense Lesson – Emily Townsend/SubjectToClimate (English)
• Biology Lesson: Design Thinking Solutions for Birds – Isabelle Pardew/SubjectToClimate (English)
• BirdLife International website – BirdLife International (UK) (English)
• European Bird Census Council (EBCC) – EBCC (Netherland) (English)
• Smart Nest Box Project – Czech Univ. of Life Sci. Prague (CZU) (English)
• NestBoxLive – Nest Box Live LTD (English)
• Birdfy Nest – Birdfy (English)
• Xeno-canto – Xeno-canto foundation (English)
• New acoustic technology for tracking biodiversity – Sheng Z. et al (English)
• Extinction Prevention via Engineering – Bendewald MJ/TeachEngineering digital library (English)
• BeeOmonitoring – BeeOdiversity (English)
• AVEFY – SEO BirdLife (Spain) (Spanish)
• SEO BirdLife – SEO BirdLife (Spain) (Spanish)
• AVIZOR – SEO BirdLife (Spain) (Spanish)
• Materiales didácticos sobre biodiversidad -MITERD (Spanish)
• Linee guida per la valutazione di impatto ambientale degli impianti eolici – Regione Toscana (Italian)
• LO SVILUPPO DELL’EOLICO OFFSHORE E LA PROTEZIONE DELL’AMBIENTE MARINO NEL CONTESTO DELLA PIANIFICAZIONE SPAZIALE MARITTIMA (MSP) CON APPROCCIO ECOSISTEMICO – WWF ITALIA (Italian)
• Parques eólicos: o vilão das aves e morcegos – Mafalda Moreira, Universidade do Porto (Portuguese)
• Gegen den Wind: Konfliktlinien beim Ausbau erneuerbarer Energien in Großschutzgebieten am Beispiel der Windenergie in den Naturparken Soonwald-Nahe und Rhein-Westerwald – Weber Florian & Jenal Corinna (Deutsch)
• Ethohydraulische Untersuchungen zur Verbesserung des Fischschutzes an Wasserkraftanlagen – Boris Lehmann, Beate Adam, Oliver Engler, Veronika Hecht und Katharina Schneider (Deutsch)

• Learn more on biodiversity loss: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/stories/nature-needs-you/
• European Commission: Directorate-General for Environment, EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 – Bringing nature back into our lives, Publications Office of the European Union, 2021, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2779/677548.
• EU Nature Restoration Law, Regulation 2024/1991
• Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework