EUBCE 2026 - Sotirios SOURMELIS - Good Practice Guidance for Developing Nature Action Plans in Bioenergy Sourcing Regions

Good Practice Guidance for Developing Nature Action Plans in Bioenergy Sourcing Regions

Short Introductive summary

There is a growing expectation from businesses to enhance their accountability for nature. To support the delivery of ‘nature beneficial outcomes, a rapidly evolving landscape of cross-sectorial guidelines for nature assessments and reporting is being developed by organisations such as the Science Based Targets for Nature (SBTN), Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). However, translating these frameworks into practical implementation remains challenging. This is because nature is context-specific and can be measured in multiple ways. Implementation can become even more challenging when businesses seek to take nature action beyond their direct sphere of control. This is particularly relevant for the biomass sector, which is expected to deliver nature beneficial outcomes in managed forests, yet does not directly control forest management decisions. To address this gap, we have developed ‘good practice guidance’ specifically tailored to help the bioenergy sector develop nature action plans for their forest sourcing regions.

S. Sourmelis, University of Surrey/Drax Group, York, UNITED KINGDOM
A. Newton, Drax Group, London, UNITED KINGDOM
C. Esbenshade, Drax Group, London, UNITED KINGDOM
R. Murphy, University of Surrey, Guildford, UNITED KINGDOM
Z.M. Harris, University of Surrey, Guildford, UNITED KINGDOM