Whale, Dolphin, and Porpoise Strandings Increase as Wind Farms Multiply Around UK Coast
Over the past ten years, as offshore wind farms have multiplied around the United Kingdom, there has been a worrying increase in strandings of whales, dolphins, and porpoises along the coast. Since the beginning of the 21st century, these strandings have more than doubled, now exceeding 1,000 animals annually. Despite this, the mainstream media largely overlooks this issue, continuing to promote the narrative that offshore wind is eco-friendly and crucial for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
Wind Turbines: A Threat to Endangered Species
Wind turbines, whether located on land or at sea, pose a significant threat to many endangered species. There is growing concern about their widespread and damaging impact on the natural world. In the past, environmentalists focused on saving whales, but this cause seems to have faded recently. The killing of millions of bats onshore and the destruction of various large raptor species are largely ignored.
Andrew Montford of Net Zero Watch has updated his graph on the stranding of UK cetaceans and compared it to the rise of offshore wind capacity. Both totals have surged in recent years. While there may not be an inconvenient causal link for Net Zero enthusiasts, Montford asserts that the suggestion of a causal relationship remains very strong.
Mounting Casualties and Environmental Concerns
The Daily Sceptic has previously reported on the growing number of whale casualties stranded off the northeastern coast of the United States following extensive offshore wind farm construction. Approximately 300 fatalities have occurred in the past five years. Many believe that extensive sonar soundings, pile driving, and heavy concentrated vessel traffic are disrupting aquatic feeding, breeding, and migration along the coast.
The most recent UK stranding figures have been reported to Ascobans, a UN environmental conservation body for cetaceans in the NE Atlantic. Environmental writer and campaigner Jason Endfield referred to the figures as a wake-up call for those planning to further industrialize our seas in the name of renewable energy, particularly offshore wind farms. He argued that it is nonsensical to increase ocean noise to levels that are literally unbearable for marine mammals.
Ignoring the Environmental Disaster
The cover-up of this environmental disaster continues as massive industrial parks are being built around the coasts of many countries. In the UK, the incoming Labour government is committed to a significant expansion, with billions of pounds in additional subsidies being provided to boost an industry that would not exist in a free market.
Greenpeace USA’s senior oceans campaigner Arlo Hemphill denies any evidence connecting wind turbines to whale deaths. Another Greenpeace spokesperson referred to it as just a cynical disinformation campaign. The mainstream media often supports this narrative, as demonstrated by recent tweets from Agence France-Presse reporter Manon Jacob. He dismissed the focus on wind farms as a red herring when offshore wind remains marginal in the U.S. and scientific evidence of large marine mammal deaths is lacking.
Investigative science journalist Jo Nova offers a different perspective on the matter. She notes that researchers have known since at least 2013 that pile drivers were permanently deafening porpoises, presumably leading them to die miserable deaths wandering blindly through dark or murky seas. She urges environmentalists to spread the word about this issue.
Signs of Change
There are some indications that the 'nothing to see here' attitude is beginning to change. A recent essay in Watts Up With That? suggested that an impact statement from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) had finally acknowledged the harm caused by offshore wind farms. The BOEM hints that these developments are not entirely benign despite being repeatedly framed as environmentally friendly solutions to the climate crisis. Marine mammals, sea turtles, birds, and fish could suffer due to noise, habitat displacement, and changes in migration patterns. Even bats, which are not typically associated with offshore environments, could be affected.
Bottom Line
The proliferation of wind farms around the UK coast has coincided with a disturbing increase in strandings of whales, dolphins, and porpoises. While some dismiss this as a coincidence or a cynical disinformation campaign, others argue that it is a wake-up call for those planning to further industrialize our seas in the name of renewable energy.
What are your thoughts on this issue? Do you think there's a connection between wind farms and the increase in strandings of marine mammals? Share this article with your friends and join the discussion. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is available every day at 6 pm.
