Americas: Power lines and wildlife in South America

Abstract

Given the vital role of power lines for social development, the rapid spread of such infrastructure worldwide and the fact that power lines can be one of the main causes of direct mortality for several species of birds and other wildlife, including mammals, it is essential to have suitable tools to ensure that these lines are built and maintained in accordance with environmentally friendly principles, and that priority is given to avoiding and reducing negative impacts. This manual is intended to be a technical guide for use by all stakeholders, from companies and businesses in the energy sector to authorities and government planners, investors and civil society. It contains recommendations and standard good practices for avoiding the adverse effects of new power lines and managing risks early in the process, so as to ensure that infrastructure expansion takes account of biodiversity in the spatial planning and early project implementation phases, when they will be most effective. It also contains case studies from around the globe.