It probably won’t have escaped your attention that we’ve been talking a lot about wind this week. I’ll be honest – it’s confused a few people. Some have called it a ‘change’ in the RSPB’s position. And some went as far as branding it a u-turn.
But I’ll let you in on a secret - we've never opposed the development of any windfarm that doesn't pose a threat to sensitive wildlife. And we're never going to stop opposing those that do.
Maybe you don’t really like the look of wind turbines. If you don’t, you’re in good company – some of our staff aren’t too keen on them either. You might question the efficiency of these structures, or their capacity to meet our energy demands. Some engineers do. And we won’t pretend that the energy industry hasn’t, in some cases, overhyped the benefits of wind energy. We know the technology is far from perfect. It's efficiency is heavily dependent upon where it's located, which is why we advocate it as part of a mix of renewables and not the sole component.
But here's a statement that I hope we can all agree on: climate change is the most significant threat to biodiversity on the planet. And it’s because of this we feel the need to make our position on wind energy clear. The RSPB believes wind energy has an important role to play in tackling climate change. Consequently we only oppose those windfarms that pose a significant threat to wildlife.
We’ve always supported taking power from the wind, waves, the tides, the ground, and anything else that can justifiably be labelled as a renewable energy source that doesn’t damage the environment.
But we know there are some proposals out there – like the recently defeated Lewis windfarm application, and the current proposal for a barrage from Cardiff to Weston across the river Severn – that don’t meet sensible environmental standards. Based on the available science, we believe they'd harm the environment. And for this reason, we’ll continue to challenge them robustly, and other developments like them. We’ll do what our members would expect of us – and what the natural world demands of us.
This is the crux of what we’ve been saying this week. If any renewable energy proposal threatens sensitive wildlife through its operation or construction, we’ll oppose it. But if it won’t have an adverse impact on the wildlife around it then – just as we always have – we won’t stand in its way. Indeed we should be encouraging it to go ahead.
Why? Because we can't afford not to. I don’t mean financially – although opposing stupid windfarms proposed for inappropriate locations can be very expensive and time-consuming – but because the planet cannot afford to.
For the foreseeable future, we need wind energy to combat climate change. If we are going to wean our planet off fossil-fuel based energy production before we reach the point when climate change can’t be stopped, we need dramatic action. We need to find a constructive way through the obstacles that are currently preventing this. If we don’t act now, we’re effectively condemning thousands of species of animals and plants to extinction. And threatening the lives of millions of people.
This position hasn’t changed. We’re passionate about the natural world around us. If something threatens that environment, whether it’s climate change or an inappropriately sited windfarm application, we’re duty bound to challenge it. Our members expect it of us.
So is this the wind of change? Well, no, actually, it’s not. But we think it is the wind of reason. And hopefully it carries on it the scent of a more secure future for the planet we all have to share, as rich in wildlife as it is today.
The RSPB has never opposed wind farm developments if they are located and designed to avoid damage to sensitive wildlife. Onshore wind is an important weapon in the battle against global climate change - a problem that, if left unchecked, will result in the extinction of millions of species of birds, plants and animals across the world, as well as costing the lives of millions of people. For this reason, the RSPB is proposing a fresh look at our planning system, to make sure that we get the wind energy we need, in the right places, and in time to tackle the climate crisis. We hope to work with the Government, planners, developers and other NGOs, to secure this outcome, and the future of the wildlife on our planet.
For further information about the RSPB's climate change policy see here.