Climate change mitigation position statement

Climate change poses a significant threat to UK bat populations. We need energy-efficient housing and renewable energy to help mitigate for climate change for the benefit of bats, people, and the wider environment. Energy efficiency measures and renewable energy production can and should be rolled out in ways that complement the needs of wildlife, including bat species, and there are many ways of achieving this whilst minimising any extra costs.

The climate is changing in unpredictable and adverse ways, affecting nature’s health as well as our own (IPCC, 2021). Changing temperatures and weather patterns are leading to alterations in the range and distribution of many species (IPCC, 2022). This could result in some bat populations being pushed into areas with less suitable habitats as they seek more favourable climatic conditions. Just like other mammals, bats can suffer from the effects of heat (e.g. BCT, 2020), which will become increasingly common as extreme heat events become more frequent and our climate becomes more volatile.

Climate mitigation is necessary to limit negative impacts on our UK bat populations. Climate mitigation involves actions taken to reduce emissions of climate-impacting greenhouse gases like methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. A common form of climate mitigation is renewable energy production as it reduces our reliance on fossil fuels, which are a major source of carbon dioxide and other emissions. Other forms of climate mitigation include increased energy efficiency, reduced animal product consumption and increased use of public transport.

We cannot afford to sacrifice biodiversity whilst implementing climate mitigation, especially because of the positive benefits that come from resilient ecosystems. For instance, well-protected woodland can not only provide habitat for some of our rarest bat species, but also sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and reduce the likelihood or severity of flooding among many other benefits.

Climate adaptation involves actions taken to help manage the adverse effects of climate change, like reinforcing sea walls against increased frequency and severity of flooding or formulating plans for periods of severe heat. We believe that climate adaptation is necessary but must be delivered alongside climate mitigation actions to have the most impact and produce the best outcomes for nature and people.

Insulation of existing homes can be a very important way of increasing energy efficiency. Modifications to buildings should be designed carefully to retain or replace features that benefit wildlife, such as features that bats can roost in or birds can nest in.

Installers of insulation should also be mindful of the legislation protecting bats from disturbance and seek the required surveys and licences where appropriate to avoid committing an offence.

New build energy efficient homes can also be constructed with enhancements for bats and birds from the outset, with only very minor costs and potentially significant benefits.

We are in favour of the widespread replacement of fossil fuel infrastructure with renewable energy as it is a key factor in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and in turn reducing the climate impacts on bat populations in the UK and abroad. It is vital that renewable energy deployment is carried out in line with nature, not in opposition to it - this is achievable. It is counterproductive to place renewable energy development where it will conflict with nature, either during construction or operation, and alternative approaches should be used to minimise such conflicts.

Solar energy is being collected in the UK via large collections of solar panels known as solar farms. Solar farms can be a practical and accessible method of producing electricity at a larger scale. However, they should be installed in ways that don’t pose a danger to bats and other wildlife.

There is some emerging evidence that solar panels in solar farms can have adverse impacts on the behaviour patterns of some bat species (see Tinsley et al., 2023 and Barré et al., 2024), for instance, due to causing habitat fragmentation.

When a new solar farm is being planned, ecological surveys of the area should be used to inform siting and layout so that it is sensitive to protected species such as bats. In this way, harm to local bat populations can be avoided early in the consenting process, which would benefit developers as well as bats by reducing the need for unexpected and costly alterations later on.

Solar energy can also be collected using solar panels installed on individual rooftops, which can be a practical and accessible way for households to generate their own electricity.

Where rooftop solar panels are going to be installed, ecological surveys should be carried out to identify if bats are present in the roof and to design in appropriate measures to avoid or mitigate for impacts. If bats are present, a licence may be required to carry out the installation legally. You can find out more about licensing here: Advice - Licensing.

Wind turbines, if placed within bat commuting or migration routes or near to roosts and foraging areas, can cause injuries and fatalities to bats through direct collisions as well as injuries caused by changes in air pressure around the turbines, known as barotrauma. The presence of wind turbines could also contribute towards the fragmentation of habitats. This is why it is important that bats, and other taxa like birds, are considered as early in the development process as possible, as ecological data should be used to steer proposals away from valuable sites for wildlife (e.g. Lagerveld et al., 2021).

For existing and new wind farms, there are proven techniques to reduce risks to bats and birds. For instance, turbines can be curtailed which means that the blades are feathered (have their angle adjusted) or are stopped from turning. This curtailment can be used during particular times of the year or night and in specific temperature and wind conditions to reduce collisions and barotrauma. Fine tuning of curtailment times/conditions is possible to minimise losses in terms of energy production.

Repowering existing sites instead of developing new sites can also be helpful in minimising risks to wildlife, as it limits the disruption to fewer sites. However, repowering proposals should still be subject to the same surveys and impact assessment as new developments to check that impacts are not already taking place or identify any additional mitigation measures.

As well as large-scale wind farms, smaller sites, single wind turbines and microgeneration schemes should mitigate for any potential negative impact on bats (Minderman et al., 2017).

There are some promising technologies that will likely be rapidly developed in the future and could play a very important role in the UK’s climate mitigation. We will continue to be watchful of less common and emerging renewable technologies to make sure any risks to bat species are minimised. Research should be conducted into any adverse impacts of emerging renewable technologies on wildlife and all renewable energy development proposals should be assessed for environmental impact as early as possible.

• Energy-efficiency works, like the installation of insulation, must be carried out in ways that are sensitive to the needs of protected species, including bat species.
• Environmental assessments must be a priority for renewable energy developments, to make sure that proposals are bringing net benefits to the environment rather than damaging biodiversity for the sake of the climate.
• New wind turbines and wind farms must be placed away from existing roosting, foraging, commuting habitats and migratory routes.
• Damage reduction methods like time/weather specific curtailment of both on and offshore wind turbines should be standard.
• More research is needed into the potential impacts of solar farms and offshore wind farms, as well as emerging renewable technologies.

Barré, K., Baudouin, A., Froidevaux, J. S. P., Chartendrault, V. and Keribiriou, C. (2023) Insectivorous bats alter their flight and feeding behaviour at ground-mounted solar farms. Journal of Applied Ecology. 61(2). Available online: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.14555.

Bat Conservation Trust (no date) Bats in Buildings. Available online: https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/buildings-planning-and-development/bats-in-buildings.

Bat Conservation Trust (no date) ROOST Partnership. Available online: https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/buildings-planning-and-development/roost-replacement-and-enhancement/partnerships.

Bat Conservation Trust (2020) Helpline heroes rescue 63 baby bats struck by heat wave. Available online: https://www.bats.org.uk/news/2....

CIEEM (no date) Find a consultant. Available online: https://cieem.net/i-need/finding-a-consultant/.

Climate Change Committee (no date) What is climate change?. Available online: https://www.theccc.org.uk/what-is-climate-change/

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2021) IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. Available online: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2022) Factsheet on Biodiversity. Available online: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/downloads/outreach/IPCC_AR6_WGII_FactSheet_Biodiversity.pdf.

Lagerveld, S., Jonge Poerink, B. and Geelhoed, S.C.V. (2021). Offshore Occurrence of a Migratory Bat, Pipistrellus nathusii, Depends on Seasonality and Weather Conditions. Animals. 11(12), p.3442. Available online: https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/are-offshore-wind-farms-in-the-netherlands-a-potential-threat-for.

Minderman, J., Gillis, M., Daly, H. and Park, K. (2017) Landscape-scale effects of single- and multiple small wind turbines on bat activity. Animal Conservation. 20(5), pp. 455-462. Available online: https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acv.12331.

Tinsley, E., Froidevaux, J. S. P., Zsebők, S., Szabadi, K. L. and Jones, G. (2023) Renewable energies and biodiversity: Impact of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic sites on bat activity. Journal of Applied Ecology. 60(9). Available online: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.14474.