Wind farms at odds with brown bear protection, eco groups warn

Environmental organizations Arcturos and Callisto have raised serious concerns about the Environment Ministry's interference in the national action plan for the brown bear, developed under the European Union's LIFE program.

The groups said that the ministry removed crucial references to the impacts of wind farms on the bear's habitat, along with proposals to exclude these facilities from key areas.

The ministry counters that the study's proposals lacked proper scientific evidence and appeared to aim at restricting renewable energy projects.

The organizations noted that the final draft of the plan submitted last year, and approved in December, lacks essential scientific data that, they said, was removed arbitrarily, without explanation, weakening the protection actions.

They claim that wind farm threats to bear habitats were omitted, along with essential...