Morocco is among Africa’s leading producers of wind energy, but some of its projects have been approved without evaluating their impact on birds, according to a new study published in Nature Reviews Biodiversity.
The paper, Impacts of Onshore Wind Energy Production on Biodiversity, says the extent to which environmental impact assessments are developed and enforced varies widely across countries. Many projects instead follow standards set by financing institutions such as the World Bank or the International Finance Corporation.
Researchers noted that Morocco has introduced environmental legislation covering impact assessments in recent years but enforcement remains weak, particularly in the wind energy sector. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) raised similar concerns in a 2022 review, warning that migratory birds crossing Morocco may face risks from wind farms that lacked proper assessments.
At the continental level, South Africa and Egypt remain the largest wind energy producers and have more structured environmental approval processes, the study found. South Africa, for example, requires wind projects to obtain authorization from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and has criteria for reporting bird impacts, though enforcement gaps remain.
The paper also cautioned that renewable energy development zones in Africa, created to fast-track strategic projects, are subject to reduced monitoring and reporting requirements.
While wind power is key to meeting renewable energy targets, the study warns it can pose risks to biodiversity at all stages, from construction to operation and decommissioning, through wildlife fatalities, altered animal behavior, and habitat loss or fragmentation.
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