I note, today, a press release from the association of climats – the body that was responsible for the work achieving UNESCO World Heritage Site status for much of the Côte d’Or. I understand their perspective but it still saddens me:
*The Association des Climats du Vignoble de Bourgogne has alerted the State ‘services’ to the damage caused by the plans to install 18 wind turbines, 180 meters high, on and around the site listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and of its landscape preservation zone called the buffer zone. These projects threaten the authenticity of the landscapes of the World Heritage site, by making these wind turbines visible from the registered site. Certain villages of the Côte d’Or and emblematic panoramas such as the hill of Corton, the hill of the 3 crosses in Santenay or the cirque du bout du monde de Saint-Romain would be threatened. An impact that the World Heritage Committee could also take a dim view of…
*My translation…
It seems to me that this is blinkered in response and lacking nuance – or perhaps also understanding. Would they prefer that countries concentrate on fossil fuels in preference to renewables? Or is this simply ‘there are better places for this‘ ie not in my backyard? If the former, in the future we may no-longer have world heritage sites…
Of course, that’s entirely my own opinion and many will disagree with me…
There are 3 responses to “world heritage, with no world?”
Quite right, Bill. One of the great things about wind turbines, which are increasingly efficient, is that they cause no permanent damage whatever. Would that this could be said of most energy sources.
The NIMBY in me is really annoying, I just would be unhappy at wind turbines on the Cote but then I am unhappy that France generates 75% of its electric from nuclear means so no easy answers from me Bill.
+ 1 Phil (except the NIMBY in me is not annoying). No way do I want to pick myself up off my knees in the vines to be staring at wind turbines.