Underpinning the precautionary principle with evidence: A spatial concept for guiding wind power development in endangered species’ habitats

Abstract

1The precautionary principle is an essential guideline in decision making, particularly for 2 regulating novel developments with unknown or insufficiently proven environmental impact. 3However, due to the inherent component of uncertainty it has been widely critized for being 4 "unscientific", i.e. hindering progress without sufficient evidence. The consequential 5 postulation, that precautionary measures are only justified if the addressed threats are 6 plausible and the measures reasonable, calls for methods to guide action in the face of 7 uncertainty. Using the example of species conservation versus wind-farm construction, an 8 expanding development with hypothesized -but unexplored -effects on our model species the 9 capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), we present an approach that aims at compensating the lack of 10 knowledge about the threat itself by making best use of the available knowledge about the 11 object at risk. By systematically combining information drawn from population monitoring 12 and spatial modelling with population ecological thresholds, we identified areas of different 13 functionality and importance to metapopulation persistence and connectivity. We integrated 14 this information into a spatial concept defining four area-categories with different 15 implications for wind power development. Highest priority was assigned to areas covering the 16 spatial and functional requirements of a minimum viable population, i.e. sites where the 17 plausibility for threat is highest, the uncertainty as regards importance for the population is 18 lowest, and thus the justification for precautionary measures is strongest. This gradated 19 approach may also enhance public acceptance, as it attempts to avoid either error-20 minimization bias (i.e. being too restrictive or permissive) the precautionary principle is 21 frequently criticized for. 22 250 words 23

Offshore Wind Energy: Good Practice in Impact Assessment, Mitigation and Compensation

“…Skov et al (2016) demonstrated how to facilitate the capture of detailed associations between seabirds and their dynamic habitats in UK waters. To compensate for the lack of knowledge, Braunish et al (2015) combined information from population monitoring and spatial modelling with population ecological thresholds and identified areas of different functionality and importance to meta-populational persistence and connectivity. The concept deals with the functional connectivity between spatially disjointed habitat patches.…”

Potential influence of high‐elevation wind farms on carnivore mobility

“…Wind power development is increasing worldwide as one effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet energy demands (Pryor and Barthelmie 2010). If wind farms are situated in or near critical or rare habitats, however, there is potential to negatively affect wildlife (Braunisch et al 2015), especially for threatened or endangered populations (Kuvlesky et al 2007). Prior research on the effects of wind farms has focused primarily on bird and bat species that are susceptible to direct collision, communication interference, and habitat loss (Kunz et al 2007), whereas non-volant wildlife have largely been underrepresented (Lovich and Ennen 2013).…”

Avaliação de impacto ambiental aplicada a projetos de geração de energia eólica: o caso do Estado do Ceará

“…Por outro lado, baixas taxas de mortalidade e colisão foram detectadas (DE LUCAS et al, 2008;ERICKSON et al, 2001;PERCIVAL, 2005), em parques eólicos localizados distantes de áreas de pouso e rotas de aves migratórias (ARNOLD; ZINK, 2011). Notase, portanto, que os efeitos negativos das turbinas eólicas sobre a fauna estão diretamente associados às espécies e à localização do empreendimento (BARRIOS; RODRÍGUEZ, 2004;BRAUNISCH et al, 2015;KUVLESKY et al, 2007). Desse modo, entende-se a importância de estudos em escala local .…”

“…As causas exatas para mortalidade de morcegos em parques eólicos são complexas e ainda não são consenso na literatura (RYDELL et al, 2010 Este impacto também pode ser causado como um aumento da pressão sobre áreas protegidas e respectivo entorno, as quais devem ser tratadas como critério de restrição durante a análise de alternativas locacionais (OUAMMI et al, 2012). Na Holanda, por exemplo, foi proposta uma distância mínima entre parque eólicos e reservas naturais de 300 metros (BRAUNISCH et al, 2015), mesma distância proposta por Clarke (1991).…”

“…O enriquecimento de habitats remanescentes é apontado como medida compensatória (BRAUNISCH et al, 2015;DAI et al, 2015). Os estudos ambientais e monitoramento após a construção e operação, desenvolvidos no âmbito da AIA, podem auxiliar a reduzir a lacuna de conhecimento em relação aos potenciais impactos e fornecer evidências científicas para a gestão territorial (ZWART et al, 2015).…”