China’s strategy for joint implementation of the UNFCCC and CBD: A case study of biodiversity-friendly wind power projects

Coordinated action to mitigate climate change and protect biodiversity has become a global consensus. However, translating this broad goal into actionable methods remains a research gap. Existing studies on the ecological impacts of wind power projects have mostly focused on case analyses or specific groups, while lacking standardized tools that can assess biodiversity conservation performance across the entire project lifecycle. This study evaluates how wind power projects reduce emissions and impact biodiversity. Based on the trend of actively developing wind power projects to reduce carbon emissions in China, this study introduces the first comprehensive biodiversity assessment tool (biodiversity-friendly wind power projects, BFWPP) tailored for China's wind power development. BFWPP can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation in existing wind power projects, while guiding the design and construction of subsequent wind power projects. The assessment of 187 wind power projects (125 onshore, 62 offshore) in China conducted using BFWPP shows that more than half (52.94%) of the wind power projects can obtain biodiversity conservation certification under this system. BFWPP functions as a transparent and actionable tool to bridge the gap between climate goals and biodiversity conservation in the wind power sector. Overall, this study demonstrates that integrating biodiversity safeguards into renewable energy planning is feasible but underutilized. To incentivize adoption, this study has proposed concrete policy mechanisms, including linking BFWPP certification to price premiums in China's carbon market (CCER). This creates a market-based value for biodiversity, translating the joint UNFCCC‒CBD mandate into incentivized action on the ground.