Ministry agency advises against Aegean wind farm projects

Greece’s Environment Ministry has advised against plans for a wind energy project on the Cyclades and Dodecanese islands, saying it will cause lasting environmental damage.

The project involves the construction of three wind farms consisting of 106 turbines on 14 islets that belong to the municipalities of Nisyros, Leros, Astypalaia and Anafi.

The ministry agency which is responsible for biodiversity and the protection of the natural environment said that the project, combined with an existing 183 wind turbines already licensed on the islands of Astypalaia, Amorgos, Anafi and Nisyros, would have a wall effect on existing bird migration routes.

The recommendations question the scientific legitimacy of the environmental study submitted by the company behind the project. The agency said that “the predominant characteristic of all the islets in question is that their natural environment is undisturbed by human presence.”

Conservation groups said the government should not green-light the project.