Emerging trends and opportunities in nature-positive engineering

Addressing measurement and monitoring challenges requires a varied approach: developing open-access data repositories, standardising monitoring frameworks, investing in scalable technologies, and integrating diverse knowledge systems to generate more comprehensive and actionable environmental insights.

Industry, academia, governments and civil society are beginning to explore more integrated, dynamic and inclusive approaches to monitoring. Advanced monitoring technologies offer promising improvements in data resolution, scalability, and cost-efficiency, crucial to long-term assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem health indicators. Examples include: eDNA69, AI-powered drones and video analysis70, Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs)71, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), Satellite-based earth observation methods72, and Digital twins73, see Annex 3 for more details.

 Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered monitoring systems are becoming increasingly necessary to respond to the speed and complexity of environmental changes. Improved measurement and monitoring of marine biodiversity and ecosystem health create valuable opportunities for citizen science and stakeholder engagement by making data collection more accessible, transparent, and participatory.74 Affordable technologies like mobile apps, drones, and low-cost sensors empower local communities, fishers, and volunteers to contribute observations, expanding geographic and temporal coverage beyond what professionals alone can achieve.

Leveraging advanced technology for biodiversity monitoring: The SeaMe Project, Germany75

RWE’s SeaMe project at the Kaskasi offshore wind farm in Germany marks a shift towards ecosystem-based, low-emission biodiversity monitoring in the offshore energy sector. Running from 2024 to 2026 in partnership with marine research institutes, the project employs advanced technologies to assess marine biodiversity with minimal environmental disturbance.

SeaMe replaces traditional ship-based sampling with a suite of innovative tools. AI-powered drones monitor resting and migratory birds around the clock, reducing the need for offshore human observers, enhancing safety, and cutting emissions. Underwater, autonomous vehicles equipped with AI-driven cameras observe fish and other marine species non-invasively. These systems also collect continuous data on water conditions such as temperature and salinity, offering greater temporal resolution than conventional annual surveys. eDNA analysis complements visual methods, detecting genetic traces of native and invasive species in water samples. SeaMe’s holistic approach integrates data across multiple ecosystem components, enabling better identification of ecological stressors and cumulative impacts. Designed as a replicable model, SeaMe demonstrates how offshore wind farms can adopt ecosystem-centred technologies to monitor biodiversity outcomes while advancing the global clean energy transition.

Alongside technological innovation, industry-led frameworks are shaping how monitoring is embedded into project planning and evaluation, integrating risk screening, baseline data collection, impact modelling and action planning to support net-positive outcomes.

Ørsted’s Biodiversity Measurement Framework76

Ørsted, an industry leader in offshore wind development, has developed an eight-step biodiversity measurement framework to ensure that its renewable energy projects enhance, rather than harm, biodiversity. This framework is designed to assess the impacts of offshore wind farms on marine ecosystems throughout the lifecycle of the projects, from planning and construction to operation and decommissioning. Launched in 2024 in collaboration with The Biodiversity Consultancy, the framework aligns with global standards such as the Science Based Targets Network (SBTs)77 and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), and aims to achieve a net-positive biodiversity impact for all new projects from 2030 onwards.78

A cornerstone of the approach is the identification of ‘priority biodiversity features’ – specific habitats or species that are contextually relevant to each project and form the basis of tailored assessment and management. This ensures that the most relevant aspects of biodiversity are accurately measured and integrates monitoring to track progress and inform adaptive management strategies.

Chao Phraya Delta, Thailand87

Thailand’s Chao Phraya Delta provides a cautionary example. Bamboo fences were installed to facilitate mangrove regeneration, but the project designers hadn’t adequately accounted for the area’s high land subsidence rates and insufficient sedimentation. As a result, the bamboo structures degraded within just a few years, creating debris that obstructed coastal access. Without enough sediment accumulation, mangroves failed to establish, and the project ultimately caused environmental degradation rather than the intended protection. Local communities, who might have offered valuable insights during planning, ultimately disapproved of the approach due to these negative outcomes.

When grey infrastructure falls short: the MI COSTA project in Cuba88

Cuba is increasingly vulnerable to climate change impacts, particularly along the southern coast. By 2100, five communities along the 271 km stretch from La Coloma to Surgidero de Batabanó could disappear due to sea level rise. The critical concern is saline intrusion into the aquifer system supplying freshwater to coastal communities, agriculture and Cuba’s capital city, La Havana. 

In 1991, the government built the Southern Dike, a 51.7 kilometre levee costing $51.3 million to block saltwater infiltration. While partially effective for its primary purpose, this traditional ‘grey’ infrastructure approach led to mangrove degradation on its northern shore, reducing their coastal protection function. The dike also incurred $1.5 million in maintenance costs every 3 years, and required a one-time $15 million expenditure 20 years after construction. In response, The Green Climate Fund project ‘Coastal Resilience to Climate Change in Cuba through Ecosystem Based Adaptation’ (‘MI COSTA’), started in 2021. Scheduled for completion in 2028, MI COSTA aims for a holistic, nature-positive approach to climate adaptation by restoring mangroves and coastal ecosystems that provide natural protection with multiple co-benefits and lower maintenance costs, and by building the capacity of coastal governments and communities.

Learning from long-term monitoring: the WinMon.BE programme, Belgium

Since the first offshore wind turbine installation in 2008 in the Belgian part of the North Sea, the WinMon. BE programme90 has assessed the environmental impacts of offshore wind across the full project lifecycle. Led by a consortium of national research institutions, the programme provides invaluable evidence on the performance of nature-positive approaches.

Over 15 years, monitoring has revealed important and sometimes unexpected ecological dynamics.91 Seabed surveys show increased biodiversity near turbines, where enriched sediments support diverse macrobenthic communities. Studies on fish living and feeding on or near the bottom of seas suggest wind farms may serve as fishing refuges, though the long-term ecosystem effects remain under investigation. Seabird studies reveal species-specific responses; some avoid turbines, while others are attracted to them, prompting interest in mitigation strategies such as temporary turbine shutdowns during migration periods.

The WinMon.BE programme experience demonstrates how sustained, adaptive monitoring yields actionable insights for nature-positive ORE design. Lessons learned have influenced national policy and regional cooperation through initiatives like the Greater North Sea Basin Initiative.

The ‘Nature Positive’ philosophy holds that a healthy environment is only achievable through social inclusion and equity, while delivering benefits to all people.92,93 This approach acknowledges nature’s intrinsic value alongside its vital contributions to human safety, wellbeing, and prosperity,94 echoing wisdom long held by many indigenous communities.95 NPE offers engineers a unique opportunity to become stewards of the natural environment, demonstrating that infrastructure development and nature recovery can be mutually reinforcing. Success requires transparent acknowledgement and proactive management of trade-offs, alongside co-development of solutions with local communities who will ultimately inherit and maintain these systems.

Being honest about trade-offs

Despite the deep interconnections between the challenges we face, we continue to approach them in isolation. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Nexus Assessment warns that this siloed approach creates misalignment and unintended consequences.96 When we protect biodiversity without considering impacts on communities, we risk creating new problems whilst solving others. This complexity calls for ‘nexus approaches’, which recognise and respond to these connections. 

A nexus approach is about applying systems thinking to understand the interlinkages and interdependencies between sectors and systems in a holistic manner and to develop integrated and adaptive decisions that aim to maximise synergies and minimise trade-offs. 97

In the context of NPE, the climate–nature–health nexus refers to the interconnected relationship between climate change, natural ecosystems, and human health. It highlights how disruptions in one area can cascade across the others, creating risks but also opportunities for integrated solutions.

Nature takes time to recover and replenish. Ecological benefits often take decades to appear, while political and economic systems usually focus on short-term gains. This mismatch can lead to unfair outcomes, with nature-positive measures in the short term having uneven impacts, benefiting some members of a community more than others.98 For example, establishing a marine protected area might help fish populations recover and benefit tourism operators, but it could simultaneously restrict access for small-scale fishers who have relied on those waters for generations. Spatial trade-offs are inherent in infrastructure development, as demonstrated by offshore renewable energy, where local disruption must be balanced against broader climate benefits and societal demand for renewable energy.99 

Instead of striving for idealised perfect solutions, we must focus on systematically understanding and managing trade-offs, ensuring adequate support for those most impacted – whether people or nature.100 Evaluation frameworks should provide recommendations on how we can ensure equitable growth and consider whether solutions will remain effective under changing future conditions. Using advanced data-driven approaches and visualisation tools can help to quantify impacts and aid decision-making. To support this, a variety of analytical tools are available to help link environmental and societal outcomes.101

Co-developing nature-positive solutions

Nature-positive solutions must be co-developed with Indigenous Peoples and local communities, respecting their rights, valuing their knowledge such as holistic views of ecosystem interconnections, that are often overlooked in conventional science102, and ensuring they share the benefits.103 Meaningful engagement requires honesty about potential impacts, early and continuous involvement, and active protection of marginalised groups who often rely on nature but lack a voice in-decision making. Treating these communities as trusted advisors increases the likelihood of success and supports long-term environmental and social outcomes.104 

While participatory processes which include local voices are gaining traction, challenges remain in ensuring fair distribution of benefits, especially when improvements risk displacing lower-income groups or traditional users like small scale fishers.105 Innovative tools such as gamification,106 visualisation platforms,107 and digital engagement can support inclusive dialogue and empower communities to shape nature-positive futures.

 Local community engagement demands careful planning, inclusive participation, and adaptability when conflicts arise – it is rarely quick, easy, or low-cost. It also involves addressing economic concerns through benefit-sharing models and fostering community stewardship via education and sustainable livelihoods aligned with local interests.108

Aligning cultural values with coastal protection: the ‘Barachois’ seascape in Mauritius 109

The Barachois are unique coastal lagoons in Mauritius – shallow water bodies enclosed by traditional stone walls that locals historically used for fish farming. These culturally significant sites, along with surrounding mangroves and coastal forests, had deteriorated into neglected waste dumping areas. 

The Environmental Protection & Conservation Organisation (EPCO) launched a community restoration project to revive the Barachois seascape and improve local livelihoods while promoting biodiversity conservation. 

Restoration efforts focused on planting native vegetation, removing invasive species, and rebuilding the traditional stone walls using local materials. Engineers helped optimise the size of openings in the new walls to harness tidal action for natural water circulation, creating optimal conditions for cultivating oysters, mud crabs, and other marine life. EPCO facilitated the formation of a local management group that bridges community knowledge with technical expertise. 

The project gained strong community support by addressing local priorities including fish breeding habitat, recreational spaces, and environmental education opportunities. EPCO provided training in business skills and conservation practices, which helped reduce fishing pressure on surrounding coastal areas and created alternative livelihood opportunities. The collaboration between EPCO, government agencies, and local residents offers a replicable model for coastal wetland management that prioritises traditional knowledge and natural processes over complex engineering solutions.

A clear trend in NPE is the move toward solutions that can perform reliably under conditions of ecological and climatic uncertainty. Climate models increasingly project a likely overshoot of 1.5°C,110 with complex, potentially irreversible consequences for natural systems. 

A critical consideration for NPE is how to plan for scenarios where ecosystems no longer function as expected. For example, low-crested artificial breakwaters, an engineered solution that can be combined with natural elements, may perform well in temperate regions but is less effective in tropical environments, where coral reefs provide superior wave attenuation at lower cost and with minimal maintenance. Yet, under ocean acidification scenarios, coral reefs themselves may degrade, compromising their protective function.

 Addressing these uncertainties demands a shift toward adaptive, flexible engineering approaches that can evolve in response to ecological feedback and new information. A better understanding of ecosystem dynamics under climate stress would enable NPE to deliver more resilient, future-proof solutions and minimise unintended consequences. Further research and modelling are urgently needed to assess how ecosystem-based interventions will perform under a range of climate scenarios.111 

Yet uncertainty must not become an excuse for inaction. Significant expertise exists across engineering, ecology, and climate science, and emerging technologies such as remote sensing and AI-powered modelling are improving our capacity to assess, manage, and refine NPE interventions. Comprehensive monitoring systems will be key to adaptive management. Achieving this will require interdisciplinary collaboration and rapid investment in high-resolution data collection and scalable monitoring technologies – an area where the industry is already beginning to advance.