Will European Biodiversity be Sacrificed on the Green Transition Altar...?: Perspectives on Habitats and Species Protection in Times of Energy Crises

The EU’s push for renewable energy, accelerated by the REPowerEU plan and the RED III Directive, risks undermining its own biodiversity safeguards. This analysis examines the legal tension between new fast-track mechanisms, like “renewable acceleration areas” and the “overriding public interest” presumption, and core EU nature conservation laws. While planning is essential, the current emphasis on speed threatens to weaken environmental assessments, public participation, and the precautionary principle. Without careful implementation, the green transition may come at the expense of European biodiversity.