Advocacy Brief: Fair Wind Slovakia

EUKI project “Strengthening Ownership of Climate Policy in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)” increased Central and Eastern European policy makers’ ownership of EU climate policy by improving their understanding of the EU climate agenda and the benefits of climate action.

The project partner ‘Climate Coalition Slovakia’ states in its position paper: It is not local opposition that is holding back wind energy projects, but rather an uncertain and unclear legal framework. Added to this are a lack of capacity, limited funding and insufficient information. As a result, many local authorities are unable to properly assess projects, negotiate with investors or communicate with local residents.
The report calls for support in six areas:

– Technical and economic expertise
– Legal assistance with permits and contracts
– Facilitation of public discussions
– Support with negotiations
– Strategic communication
– Networking between local authorities

These measures are intended to reduce local opposition. Reasons for opposition often include concerns about health, the environment, the landscape, economic viability and property values. With better support, the expansion of renewable energy can be achieved more fairly and more quickly. Finally, the report lists around a dozen media cases that highlight the failure of wind power projects due to local opposition. These examples serve as a guide of what can be avoided by implementing stronger support systems.