Here in the UK, from where I write, we are very used to the scourge of wind farms.
But, even with the knowledge of just how much environmental damage they have done, and are doing, over here, it is still a shock to hear of a sinister plan to industrialise one of the most breathtakingly beautiful and remote parts of Europe, the Pindos mountains in Northern Greece. Locals there are dejected about the plan to populate their beloved, unspoiled mountain range with huge wind turbines, threatening a fragile and immensely diverse ecosystem in the process. In an open letter to the Greek government published in the Parapolitics newspaper, a group of organisations and citizens opposed to the development say "The two large wind turbine installations are to be built on the unspoiled peaks of Agrafa [in the Pindos mountain range] at the highest altitude for wind turbines anywhere in the world, 1600 to 2000 meters, in a clean and protected area, which will have incalculable negative consequences.......this first series of wind turbines will cover 80% of all ridges from Evritania to Argithea..." The area is sparsely populated and has little infrastructure, and so a huge cause for concern is that major roads will have to be built to transport the materials for the industrial development together with the construction of high voltage overhead electricity lines to feed the turbines - these will cut swathes through pine forests and untouched alpine meadows. The desperately worried citizens point out that this will have a catastrophic effect on the rare flora and fauna of the area. Pelicans and spoonbills are amongst the birds that live here in large colonies while mammals include wolves, jackals and bears. All are likely to be threatened by the installation of the wind farms affecting their habitat. The locals, whose desire is to promote eco-tourism alongside traditional farming, are horrified at the plans to develop their treasured countryside, they are calling it "criminal destruction driven by a thirst for investment". Those of us in the UK, who comprehend the damage that wind farms have brought to our shores, stand firm with the people of the Agrafa region and we understand their anger and frustration. We hope they win their battle. Destroying wildlife and landscape in the name of 'green' energy is a disgrace and will be viewed with shame by future generations.
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July 2023
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