Energy transition and species protection: "It's a balancing act that we have to accomplish"

The expansion of renewable energies pushed by the traffic light coalition and the associated laws of the "Easter package" just passed by the Bundestag put many endangered animal species under further pressure.

In order to cushion the negative consequences of the energy transition on biodiversity, the federal government has launched a national species aid program for the first time.

This is intended to improve the situation of particularly endangered species to such an extent that they can cope with additional losses, for example in wind turbines.

The rapid implementation of the aid programs is the task of Josef Tumbrinck, the new special representative for the species aid program.

Mr. Tumbrinck, Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke sees the "Easter Package" as a good compromise between the faster expansion of renewable energies and nature conservation.

From the point of view of the species support coordinator, has this feat been successful?

Of course it's a balancing act that we have to do.

In view of the climate crisis, we must rapidly expand renewable energies – the war against Ukraine also dramatically illustrates the dangers of energy dependency – and at the same time we must safeguard biodiversity.

Reconciling the two is also something that the Bundestag has in mind with its resolutions.

And the traffic light coalition has made it clear in its motion for a resolution on the laws that the implementation of the species protection programs must be accelerated to the same extent as the expansion of renewable energies and that the necessary foundations must be created for this.

The list of species that are considered "sensitive to wind power" and thus enjoy special protection was reduced to 15 in the "Easter package".

The safety distances to wind turbines have also been reduced compared to the rules previously in force in the federal states, contrary to the recommendations of the state bird sanctuary.

Wouldn't prevention by maintaining the current rules be a better way to protect species than a species aid program?

Prevention is not ruled out with the innovations that have been decided.

The list of 15 breeding bird species relates to the risk of killing and injuring breeding birds from the operation of wind turbines.

There is also, for example, the group of bird species that are sensitive to disturbance.

These are not addressed at all in the law, and a larger number than the 15 species mentioned in the law are considered sensitive to disturbance.

Here regulations of the countries and standards remain unaffected.

Nevertheless, the new laws actually mean a significant deterioration in the level of protection compared to the previously applicable rules.

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Ultimately, we want to accelerate the necessary expansion of wind energy by, among other things, simplifying permits.

By defining close and test areas, it is regulated in which cases a significantly increased risk of death and injury must be assumed and when not.

And when defining these areas, the law refers to the findings from the federal states and to a resolution of the environment ministers' conference.

This is a Germany-wide standardization of the standards.

It is important that the new rules do not say that the affected birds may henceforth be killed by the wind turbines.

The task now is to bring the populations of the species that are particularly susceptible to wind power into a better conservation status and to strengthen them.