Albanese government faces clash between renewable energy, native species agendas [Video]

A backlash against renewable energy and transmission line projects on private properties is pushing developments into the habitats of critical native species in Victoria, NSW and Queensland, sparking warnings from conservationists that such sites are being lost.

Wind and solar farms have already knocked down thousands of hectares of prime habitat for threatened species, which is a trigger for an extra layer of scrutiny on the development under national environment laws.

More projects impacting threatened species are coming through the national environment regime now, but the Albanese government is caught between twin pledges to more than double renewable energy in the grid while ending Australia’s steady stream of native species extinctions.

The Euston wind farm in south-west NSW is proposing to construct around 96 turbines near the Willandra Lakes World Heritage area. It is likely to …