Onshore wind power: how can it help tackle the nature and climate crisis?

The UK has made a commitment to reach net zero by 2050. To meet this goal, we will need to move away from fossil fuels, which produce greenhouse gases, to sources of clean energy, such as solar and wind power. Here we take a look at the role of onshore wind and why it’s so important that new developments are located in places that don’t harm wildlife.  

Onshore wind power is generated by wind turbines that are built on land – groups of these turbines are often known as ‘wind farms’. Put simply, the force of the wind rotates the turbine blades, which generates mechanical energy that can be converted into electricity.  

In recent years lots of onshore wind farms have been built in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in July 2024 the new UK Government ended an effective ban on new onshore wind farms in England.  

More onshore wind will need to be built in all four countries of the UK to help meet climate targets and the UK and Scottish Governments have committed to doubling the energy generated by onshore wind by 2030. 

Climate change is the greatest long-term threat to birds and other wildlife, so we urgently need to build more renewable energy, including onshore wind farms. There is a consistently high level of public support for onshore wind in polling and surveys. However, it’s essential that new onshore wind developments are designed in harmony with nature and that they do not have an adverse impact on wildlife. 

Onshore wind farms can affect wildlife in a number of ways: 

• The construction and infrastructure of the wind farm can damage habitats.  
• If wind farms are built in areas that are important for birds, the turbines disturb their natural behaviour and displace them. Birds can also be injured or killed if they collide with turbines.  

However, it’s possible to limit these negative impacts on birds and other wildlife by siting developments carefully, to avoid migration routes and the most sensitive areas for nature, such as those frequently used by rare and threatened species.   

Expanding onshore wind should not be limited to remote islands, for example, particularly those in Scotland, as they support some of the best wildlife and habitats in the UK.  

On the UK mainland there is a significant opportunity to expand onshore wind infrastructure, but a strategic, spatial approach to planning will be needed to avoid sensitive areas for wildlife. We have mapped potentially suitable areas for onshore wind development (available here) – though this does not remove the need to conduct environmental assessments. 

We believe that to meet our climate targets there is a need to rapidly develop more onshore wind farms. However, to ensure that these new developments also support nature we recommend the following: