Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
Q6. What are the major environmental and ecological risks associated with India’s wind energy expansion? How can ecological impact assessments be improved to address these risks? (10 M)
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: TH
Why the question
The growing ecological concerns about India’s wind energy expansion, especially in biodiversity hotspots and migratory flyways, as highlighted in recent studies like the WII 2025 report.Key Demand of the question
The question demands an identification of the key environmental and ecological risks posed by wind energy projects in India, and proposes practical ways to reform and strengthen the ecological impact assessment framework to mitigate these risks.Structure of the Answer:
Introduction
Briefly mention the growing scale of wind energy in India and the emerging ecological trade-offs.Body
- Highlight the key environmental and ecological risks (e.g., bird mortality, migratory disruption, biodiversity loss, lack of EIA).
- Suggest reforms to improve ecological impact assessments (e.g., mandatory EIA, use of tools like AVISTEP, cumulative impact analysis, community engagement).
Conclusion
Emphasise the need for ecologically intelligent renewable transitions to meet both climate and biodiversity goals.
