Wind4Bio – Increasing the Social Acceptance of Wind Energy

Achieving climate neutrality is directly linked to the elimination of net greenhouse gas emissions in the energy and electricity production sector. The expansion of wind power represents a main pathway towards this goal. Hence, increasing wind power capacity plays an essential role within the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP), which European Union (EU) member states are required to establish in order to meet the EU’s new energy and climate targets. However, environmental and biodiversity concerns have slowed down or halted the expansion of wind energy production capacity in Greece, Latvia, and Poland, among many other countries within the EU. Since the deployment of wind turbines (especially onshore) may alter the profile of local ecosystems and negatively affect biodiversity, it is imperative to enhance public consultation processes and identify threats that are essential for the reconciliation of biodiversity protection with wind farm development, streamlining climate change mitigation efforts.

Wind turbines in the community, Photo: ©Freepik

Wind4Bio aspired to facilitate the transition to renewable energy sources by addressing one of the main barriers to the proliferation of wind energy: local opposition on the grounds of biodiversity concerns and inadequate transparency in permitting procedures. The project developed a multi-perspective approach to harmonize biodiversity and wind energy policies in the participating countries Greece, Latvia, and Poland. The new wind energy approach, employed by public authorities in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and the wind energy sector, particularly involved civil society in mitigating threats related to the deployment, operation, and decommissioning of wind farms. To achieve this goal, the project built the knowledge and capacities of public authorities and provided them with resources to address biodiversity concerns through advancements in their energy planning and monitoring policies. Furthermore, it improved cooperation between public authorities and civil society, allowing the latter to be more actively involved in identifying and monitoring biodiversity threats. It also enhanced the capacity of businesses in the wind energy sector to voluntarily implement biodiversity protection measures. In the end, these activities increased public acceptance and support for wind energy and ultimately contributed to an accelerated expansion of wind power capacity in the respective areas.

• Stronger Partnerships: 6 public authorities (4 in Greece, 1 in Poland, and 1 in Latvia) formally committed to aligning wind energy with biodiversity protection. 10 environmental NGOs and civil society groups signalled greater acceptance of wind energy. Through Wind4Bio, trust between institutions and communities has grown, helping to reduce local conflicts and strengthen support for wind farm development. These partnerships create the foundation for faster wind farm energy expansion and contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 
• Practical Tools: 9 good practices were developed to help policy makers and project planners streamline permitting processes and foster collaboration. To apply them, 3 workshops and  3 consensus-building events in Greece, Latvia, and Poland engaged over 120 participants from ministries, regional and municipal authorities, wind energy associations, nature protection agencies, NGOs, and academia. These exchanges created durable networks that continue to support biodiversity-conscious wind energy projects.   
• Standards for the Sector: A Code of Conduct was published to guide the wind energy industry in embedding biodiversity measures into daily practice. 5 companies have already endorsed its principles and integrated the framework into their operations. This early uptake demonstrates strong momentum for wider adoption, reducing the environmental and biodiversity footprint of wind farms, and building lasting public acceptance for wind energy.