232 lines
6.1 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
232 lines
6.1 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
news
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uknews
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5039265
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-----
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# More wind farms can be built in UK without harming wildlife - RSPB
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## A large increase in the number of wind farms is needed in the UK, according
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to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, after a study found far more
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could be built without damaging wildlife.
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![A wind farm][1]
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The RSPB says the number of delays that beset wind farm developments must be
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reducted Photo: JOHN TAYLOR
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By Louise Gray, Environment Correspondent 7:00AM GMT 24 Mar 2009
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In the past the conservation charity has successfully campaigned against wind
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farms because of the potential damage to birds, helping to stop the biggest
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onshore development in Europe being built on the Isle of Lewis because of the
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risk to eagles.
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But a new study, commissioned by the charity, has found wind farms pose no
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threat to birds and other animals if they are put up in the right area. The
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organisation now says the UK must build far more onshore if the country is to
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meet ambitious climate change targets.
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In addition, the RSPB has called for an overhaul in the planning process to
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make it easier to build wind farms that pose no threat to wildlife, rather
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than wasting time and money on applications that will be defeated by local
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protests.
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The study by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) found the
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UK is lagging behind the rest of Europe in building wind farms because of a
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bureacratic planning process.
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The UK was thirteenth in a European league table of wind power per head of
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population, trailing behind smaller states such as Belgium, despite having the
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best conditions for wind power.
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## Related Articles
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* [Floating wind farms to be developed as part of government-backed
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research][2]
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14 Jan 2009
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* [Wind farm benefits 'overstated'][3]
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20 Dec 2008
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* [Wind power targets 'unrealistic'][4]
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06 Dec 2008
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The report suggested ruling out "bird sensitive" sites and making areas where
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wildlife are not affected a priority so that developments are put up straight
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away. Local authorities should have renewable energy targets and be given
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training on siting wind farms. Communities should be given more opportunity to
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profit from developments through cheap energy tariffs, investment in wildlife
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schemes or even ownership.
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Ruth Davis, Head of Climate Change Policy at the RSPB, said a more focussed
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planning process would enable the UK to take advantage of wind.
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She said: "We need a clear lead from government on where wind farms should be
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built and clear guidance for local councils on how to deal with applications.
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We must reduce the many needless delays that beset wind farm developments.
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"This report shows that if we get it right, the UK can produce huge amounts of
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clean energy without time-consuming conflicts and harm to our wildlife. Get it
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wrong and people may reject wind power. That would be disastrous."
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However, Dr John Constable, Research Director at The Renewable Energy
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Foundation, insisted wind farms were not the answer.
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He said: "The RSPB appears to underestimate the costs and technical challenges
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of managing large wind fleets and to overestimate the likely impact of such
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developments on climate change. In fact, the costs are very high, the
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difficulties extreme, and the benefits, frankly, modest."
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in-UK-without-harming-wildlife-RSPB.html
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## [UK News][10]
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[![US President Barack Obama's state visit to Britain: day two in
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### [Obamas visit Britain: day two][15]
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