Environmental and Social Impact Assessment of Offshore Wind Energy Development in Tropical Environments

Offshore wind energy is quickly expanding globally, driven by growing demand for
renewable energy and technological advances that enable larger, more efficient projects. To
date, its development has occurred predominantly in temperate regions, which already have
accumulated experience and well-established guidelines for assessing the environmental and
social impacts of these projects. However, the growing interest in expanding the sector in
tropical and subtropical regions requires adapting good practices to diverse and different
ecological, social, and regulatory contexts.

The objective of this Guide is to propose good practices for Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) processes in the offshore wind energy sector in tropical environments.
The document offers guidance to improve the quality of environmental and social impact
studies and to strengthen decision-making on licensing, financing, and investment in
these projects.

Harnessing energy resources in tropical environments poses specific socio-environmental
challenges, due, among other factors, to the high biological diversity, the strong presence
of artisanal fishing, and still-evolving regulatory frameworks. The focus of this Guide
on tropical environments does not imply a rigid geographical delimitation, but reflects the
intention to recommend practices appropriate to the particularities of these environments.
Another difference from existing technical guides is the integration, at each stage of
the EIA, of Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) principles, an approach aligned with
the objectives of international agendas focused on the ocean and biodiversity.

The Guide is primarily aimed at staff from agencies responsible for conducting
the EIA process and consultants involved in preparing environmental and social assessments.
However, it can also be useful for professionals from companies in sectors such
as energy and infrastructure, civil society organizations, legislators, oversight bodies,
and researchers interested in the subject. The content can be used as a technical reference
for defining legal frameworks and regulations in countries where the offshore wind
sector is in its early stages. The preparation of the Guide involved extensive literature and documentary review of
legal frameworks and international guides, analysis of cases, and participatory development
of the content through workshops and consultations with specialists, officials from EIA
agencies, consultants, community representatives, and researchers from different Brazilian
institutions. Although professionals who work primarily in Brazil were consulted, the Guide
is international in scope, containing recommendations applicable to other tropical marine
and coastal environments worldwide.

The Guide provides practical recommendations supported by a solid conceptual foundation
and grounded in scientific knowledge. The first three chapters present international
guidelines for ocean protection (Chapter 1), guidelines to strengthen the relationship between
project-level EIA and its planning context (Chapter 2), and the role of public participation
throughout the EIA process (Chapter 3). The Guide addresses essential aspects
of current construction technologies for this type of project (Chapter 4), followed by the
presentation of causal chains linking planning, construction, operation, and decommissioning
activities to project aspects, environmental and social impacts, and mitigation measures
(Chapter 5).

The main steps of the EIA process are covered, with guidelines for scoping (Chapter
6), establishing baselines, and predicting and determining the significance of impacts
(Chapters 7 and 8). Impact mitigation measures are also presented (Chapter 9). A chapter
is devoted to presenting the step-by-step process for assessing cumulative impacts as part
of an Environmental Impact Study (Chapter 10). Finally, general guidelines for follow-up
and recommendations for environmental and social monitoring are presented (Chapter 11).
A glossary of the main terms used complements the Guide.

We hope that this Guide will contribute to an offshore wind energy development
model that effectively adheres EIA best practices, is fully aligned with global commitments
to protect the ocean and biodiversity, and respects local communities.

São Paulo, Austral autumn 2026