EU Protected Area Network Enlarged

The network of protected areas of the EU - Natura 2000 - has been enlarged to include 739 new sites covering nearly 27,000 square kilometres with more than half of the area added comprising marine sites, mainly in France, Denmark and Spain. More Details

EU: Commission Guidelines on Wind Energy in Protected Areas

The European Commission has produced new guidelines aimed at avoiding conflict between wind energy development and biodiversity conservation in Natura 2000 protected areas. They highlight the importance of strategic planning and the need for good quality appropriate assessment of new developments. The guidelines contain examples of best practice, and show how wind energy developments can avoid damage to nature sensitive areas. Wind energy developments and Natura 2000