The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB), a citizens' society organization dedicated to safeguarding avian life, has voiced strong opposition to Bulgaria's draft legislation on energy from renewable sources, particularly focusing on offshore wind development, according to a statement released on Monday.
As a local partner of BirdLife International, BSPB stands firm against the approval of the legislation in its current form, citing concerns over its incompleteness and ambiguity regarding certain critical issues.
Vanya Ratarova-Georgieva, Executive Director of BSPB, expressed discontent with the current version of the bill, highlighting its striking resemblance to previous iterations. Despite minor revisions, Ratarova-Georgieva emphasized that fundamental concerns raised in prior drafts remain unaddressed.
One of BSPB's primary objections is the perceived redundancy of separate legislation for offshore wind energy when existing laws on renewable energies could be expanded to encompass marine territories. The organization argues against the creation of legislation tailored exclusively to one form of renewable energy in a specific geographic area.
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Moreover, BSPB raises environmental concerns regarding the potential adverse effects of offshore wind farms on marine ecosystems, including seabirds, migratory birds, fish populations, and aquatic mammals. Notably, BSPB underscores the significance of Bulgaria's coastline as a crucial passage for Europe's second-largest bird migration route, Via Pontica, and highlights the importance of local waters for the conservation of seabird species such as the European shag and the yelkouan shearwater.
In its statement, BSPB calls for the withdrawal of the draft legislation and urges broader consultation with experts to address its objectives and scope comprehensively. The organization advocates for the integration of the “Do no harm” principle into the legal framework governing renewable energy development, emphasizing the exploration of onshore alternatives before prioritizing marine renewables.
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BSPB's opposition underscores the complex considerations surrounding offshore wind energy development and the imperative of balancing environmental protection with renewable energy objectives in Bulgaria's energy transition.
