Wind energy infrastructures drive habitat loss and fragmentation for threatened Orthoptera: spatial planning needed in developed landscapes

Renewable energy expansion is essential for achieving climate goals but threatens biodiversity without proper spatial planning. This study assesses the impacts of renewables on threatened Orthoptera fauna and suggests mitigation solutions. Using geospatial analysis and habitat connectivity metrics, we quantified the impacts of wind power stations on three globally threatened and endemic Orthoptera species. Parnassiana tymphrestos, Parnassiana coracis and Oropodisma willemsei are projected to lose 9.1%, 6.6% and 4.3% of their total suitable habitat, respectively. Local impacts can be severe, with habitat loss (11–49%), reduced connectivity (12–99%), and population declines (12–53%). Population on Mt Oxia will be at risk of local extinction. Nationally, 62% of the distribution of threatened Orthoptera already overlaps with RES infrastructure (mainly wind and solar), and this figure is projected to rise to 79%. Mountains and islands, key centers of endemism, are disproportionately affected: 26% of wind energy is planned for mountainous areas (12% of Greece: >1000 m), and 35% for islands (19% of Greece), threatening narrowly distributed species. We applied a sustainable spatial planning scenario that excludes Natura 2000 sites, low-fragmentation zones, and roadless islands and roadless areas larger than 5 km². This approach fully protects the habitats of the three target species, exceeds the 2050 national wind energy target (13 GW) by 30%, and reduces the overlap between wind facilities and threatened species distributions by 0.9% (± 2.1%). Our findings highlight the urgent need for biodiversity-inclusive energy planning to prevent local extinctions while meeting climate goals, offering a scalable model for biodiversity hotspots globally.