World Bank documents on environmental impacts of wind power projects

[Dgr...@worldbank.org]

Colleagues:

For your information, please see the attached information on interesting new documents from WB on environmental and social impacts of wind power projects. The author is George Ledec.

Regards,

_________________________

Douglas J. Graham
Senior Environment Specialist
Sustainable Development, Hanoi, Vietnam (EASVS)
East Asia and Pacific Region
World Bank



Dear Colleagues:

1. I am pleased to announce the recent Bank publication of Greening the Wind: Environmental and Social Considerations for Wind Power Development. This book's main message is that even though wind power is renewable and low-carbon, it nonetheless has very real environmental and social impacts that need to be adequately addressed (as is the case with all large-scale power generation technologies). The book describes good practices and provides advice for the planning, construction, and operation of land-based wind power projects in ways that (i) avoid significant harm to birds, bats, and natural habitats; (ii) manage visual and other local impacts in ways acceptable to most stakeholders; and (iii) effectively deal with compensation, benefits-sharing, and socio-cultural issues.

2. You can download a free copy of the book from the Bank's e-Library at http://elibrary.worldbank.org/content/book/9780821389263 
Alternatively, a free copy of the Conference Edition (substantively identical to the ISBN book) can be downloaded from www.tinyurl.com/GreeningTheWind 

3. Printed copies of the book (ISBN 978-0-8213-8926-3) are for sale at the InfoShop in Washington and through on-line retailers such as Amazon.com and the Bank's Publications Unit at http://publications.worldbank.org/9780821389263
 
4. The accompanying Synthesis Report provides a concise summary (convenient for field use) of the environmental and social impacts of wind power development, along with the corresponding mitigation and enhancement measures. Thus far, it is available in these languages:

a. English: www.tinyurl.com/GreeningTheWind2

b. Spanish:
(See attached file: Greening the Wind - version espanol limpia FINAL-2.docx)

c. Chinese (draft):
(See attached file: 2012001031CHNchn001.doc) 

5. Here is some brief, related information that might also be of interest:

a. PPT: Addressing the Environmental and Social Impacts of Wind Power (presented June 2011 at the Climate Investment Funds Partnership Forum in Cape Town, South Africa):
http://www.climateinvestmentfunds.org/cif/sites/climateinvestmentfunds.org/files/Social%20Impacts.pdf

b. Abstract of Birds, Bats, and Natural Habitats--Making Wind Power More Biodiversity Friendly (presented October 2011 at the Low-Carbon Earth Summit in Dalian, China):
(See attached file: WIND-LCES 11-LEDEC-ABSTRACT.docx) 

6. Please feel free to share this information; it is all in the public domain.