Nature Conservation is a peer-reviewed, open access, rapidly published online journal covering all aspects of nature conservation. The journal publishes papers across all disciplines interested in basic and applied conservation ecology and nature conservation in general at various spatial, temporal and evolutionary scales, from populations to ecosystems and from microorganisms and fungi to higher plants and animals. The journal focuses on ecological, evolutionary, economic, social and other consequences of biodiversity and ecosystem management and the mitigations of negative impacts on them. Nature Conservation also strongly encourages papers on ethical, social, socio-economic, legal and policy issues related to the management and use of biodiversity and ecosystems.

Renewable-energy and transport infrastructure can fragment habitats and weaken ecological connectivity when siting is addressed only at the project-permitting stage. Using Western Macedonia, Greece, with detailed application in the Regional Unit of Florina, this study develops a screening-level decision-support framework that links biodiversity-relevant spatial evidence to strategic planning priorities. The framework combines exclusion and evaluation criteria derived from policy and the literature, elicitation from 17 regional experts, and PROMETHEE ranking of five strategic directions under four scenarios. GIS overlays relate existing and planned energy and transport infrastructure to Natura 2000 sites, wildlife refuges, roadless areas, pelican-use areas and terrestrial corridor proxies for large mammals. The perceived baseline assigned a normalized weight of 0.69 to energy and 0.01 to reversibility. The stakeholder-mean framework redistributed weight toward protected areas (0.21), reversibility (0.19), energy (0.18) and ecological corridors (0.16). The leading strategic direction changed from investment (+0.50) under the baseline to tourism (+0.43) under the stakeholder-mean scenario, while the between-direction spread narrowed from approximately 1.10 to 0.27 in the highest-score scenario. GIS screening identified persistent conflict areas in western Voras, pelican movement routes linking Prespa with other wetlands and the Kleidi terrestrial corridor. The mapped distances of 0.93, 1.81 and 2.00 km are stakeholder-derived scenario assumptions, not universal ecological thresholds or species-response distances. The framework is intended for early strategic screening and stakeholder deliberation, followed by species-specific surveys, cumulative-impact assessment and field validation.

Transport and other linear infrastructure (TLI) are expanding rapidly worldwide, improving human mobility and access while simultaneously accelerating biodiversity loss, habitat fragmentation, and ecosystem degradation. This duality creates an urgent need for a coordinated global response. This paper presents an updated Global Strategy and Action Plan for Ecologically Sustainable TLI, aligned with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026–2035). The Strategy operates on two complementary levels: (i) identifying and mobilising key stakeholders to establish enabling policy and governance frameworks; and (ii) providing science-based guidance for planning, construction, operation, and maintenance of infrastructure that safeguards ecological connectivity and ecosystem integrity. The Strategy promotes transdisciplinary collaboration, application of the mitigation hierarchy, and integration of biodiversity into decision-making across sectors. It offers a structured pathway to reconcile infrastructure development with ecological limits, contributing to resilient, nature-positive, and socially legitimate transport systems.

The rail sector, with its capacity to drive intermodal integration, is well-positioned to lead the transition toward scalable and sustainable transport solutions across Europe in connection with other transport modes and sectors. Despite broad recognition of the importance of biodiversity-sensitive infrastructure in national and international frameworks, implementation remains limited [3]. Key barriers include fragmented regulatory frameworks, insufficient cross-sectoral coordination, and the inadequate incorporation of biodiversity considerations into infrastructure planning, construction and operation as highlighted by initiatives such as the BISON project. In response, this study—conducted within the EU-Rail SYMBIOSIS project—analyses the societal impacts, regulatory challenges, and interdependencies between rail and energy infrastructure in relation to biodiversity and climate objectives. Using a robust methodology based on literature review and stakeholder consultation, an inclusive framework is being developed to improve environmental and cumulative impact assessments and enhance environmental evaluation procedures across the infrastructure life cycle. The work also examines the alignment of EU policies with international environmental goals and investigates the consequences of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive on biodiversity matters’ governance and accountability. Evidence-based recommendations are formulated to integrate biodiversity and climate priorities into procurement practices and regulatory mechanisms. The outcomes aim to support a more resilient, integrated, environmentally and socially responsible approach to transport infrastructure planning and implementation across Europe.