Brazil's Birdlife Paying the Price?

Wind farms need to be where the winds are and in Brazil that is in the Caatinga, a northeast region where 85% of Brazil's operating wind turbines are located. Wind energy generation is relatively new in Brazil with the first farm beginning operation in 2011. Regulation of wind energy projects has been left to individual states. When it was discovered that licenses had been issued by the state of Bahia to a French company, Voltalia, withou an environmental assessment beibg conducted, the federal government stepped in and cancel the licenses. Concern for the endangered Lear's macaw that lives in a refuge nearby the project site motivated conservationists to file suit against the firm. Wind energy generation is big business in Brazil. The country now ranks sixth in the world with almost 10,000 wind turbines in operation.   Installed wind capacity is expected to double by 2028.

The beautiful Araripe manakin, Antilophia bokermanni, was only described by science in 1998. When described it was already critically endangered with extinction. Only 800 are thought to live in the wild. The species now has its own conservation plan. Another French company, Qair Group, wants to build a wind/solar farm complex that overlaps Araripe habitat. Obviously the concern is mortality caused by collision with massive turbine blades. In the United States an estimated 500,000 birds die this way each year.  Unless Brazil's licensing regulation becomes more rigorous and transparent states or companies will be tempted to shortcut the permitting process because wind is now the cheapest source of energy in the country,  That is welcomed news for conservationists, but it should not be at the expense of biodiversity.  The Caatinga is a relatively in tact biome where 26 million people live.  As such it is a living laboratory of coexistence between man and Nature.  It is worth taking extra measures to protect all of its creatures.