A new scientific study by ARCTUROS, published in the Journal of Environmental Management under the title “Unsound renewable energy source development threatens an umbrella species in a Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot”, has shed light on how the rapid development of Renewable Energy Sources in Greece may threaten one of the country’s most iconic and strictly protected species – the brown bear (Ursus arctos).
Conducted within the framework of the Large Carnivore Connect project, supported by PONT and implemented by ARCTUROS, the research assessed how wind and solar projects overlap with suitable bear habitats across northern Greece. The findings are striking; more than 50% of suitable bear habitat are within 5 km of existing or planned renewable energy installations.
Wind farms are often located within or near the bear’s core areas of occurrence, while the expansion of solar parks in lowland mosaics disrupts ecological corridors used by bears and other large carnivores such as wolves, jackals, and lynx. These trends risk fragmenting the very landscapes that sustains the region’s rich biodiversity.
As an umbrella species, the brown bear plays a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems that support numerous other species. Any loss or fragmentation of its habitat would therefore impact the broader ecological balance of mountain ecosystems in the Prespa-Ohrid region and beyond.
The study emphasises that the challenge lies not in renewable energy itself, but in how it is spatially planned and implemented. It calls for a “smart and fair energy transition” that safeguards both climate goals and biodiversity through:
- Improved spatial planning of renewable energy projects,
- Stronger environmental assessments, and
- Continuous monitoring of impacts.
“The transition to clean energy is essential,” said Dr Alexandros Karamanlidis, General Director of ARCTUROS. “But it must be achieved in harmony with nature. Protecting the bear means protecting an entire web of life.”
The study, authored by Dr Alexandros Karamanlidis and Miguel de Gabriel Hernando, both researchers with ARCTUROS, provides vital evidence for policy and conservation planning in the Balkans. Its findings directly support the Large Carnivore Connect project’s mission to maintain ecological connectivity for bears, wolves, jackals, and lynx across the Prespa-Ohrid region – ensuring that these emblematic species continue to move, feed, and thrive across borders.
By: ARCTUROS
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