Viennese energy transition versus wildlife connectivity: fundamentals for solutions to a sustainable development dilemma

Sustainable development, as outlined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), necessitates the preservation of biodiversity, specifically emphasized by SDG 15. Within Central Europe, habitats of wildlife populations are limited and sufficient gene flow is mandatory for their long-term survival. While significant progress has been made in protection of habitats on sites, functional connectivity has not been recognized so far within landscape planning processes. Simultaneously, sustainable development also demands a transition to renewable energy sources to achieve climate neutrality. Within Austria’s aims to meet 100% of its energy consumption from renewable sources by 2030, a focus is laid on additional wind power production with the federal state of Lower Austria representing by far the largest potential for development. While both aims are absolutely necessary for sustainable development, they are seemingly contradictory, calling for integrative studies to generate fundamental for landscape planning. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the impact of existing and future renewable energy projects on wildlife functional connectivity in Vienna and Lower Austria. We specifically focus on (1) modeling functional connectivity across various taxa on a fine spatial scale, (2) assess the effects of current and proposed wind power plants on connectivity, and (3) support regional spatial planning by providing our models to stakeholders. Ultimately, this integrative approach is meant as a first step to resolve conflicts between renewable energy expansion and biodiversity preservation, promoting sustainable development.