About
Assessing the cumulative impacts of offshore wind farms and other human activities
With the development of offshore wind energy, there is a growing concern on the potential cumulative impacts of offshore wind farms and other human activities at different spatial scales on the socio-ecosystems. In various legal documents, this concern compels offshore renewable energy (ORE) developers to include the cumulative impact assessment in their Environmental Impacts Assessment (EIA). In this context, it is crucial to speed-up the development of adapted operational tools to optimally conduct this foreseen legal obligation.
Towards operational tools
The NESTORE project (2022-2025) developed nested ecosystemic modelling tools to support cumulative impact assessment in the ORE context. Structural inputs and scenarios uncertainties in various models were analysed to improve the confidence level of results. This ecosystem modelling work has been linked to the functioning of governance mechanisms of maritime spatial planification and ecosystem services.
Webinar resources
A final webinar presenting the project’s key findings was held on 26 May 2026.