Accessible Sky – bird-friendly power line network

Published on January 21, 2021

Aerial power lines pose a high threat to wildlife, especially to birds. The main goal of the policy instrument is to achieve a bird-friendly powerline network by retrofitting existing, dangerous powerlines and only permitting the construction of new power lines or renovation of existing powerlines in a bird-friendly way. A conflict map has been produced and recently updated; best available technology has been elaborated in collaboration with electricity distribution companies. Major projects have been financed (partly by EU co-financing) to retrofit particularly dangerous power lines or bring them underground.

Energy production and consumption are only sustainable if these activities do not represent a serious mortality factor to wildlife (especially to birds and bats). By reducing this risk in the ways described above, sustainability of electricity distribution can be achieved.

Accessible Sky agreement between electricity distribution companies, BirdLife Hungary and the ministry responsible for nature conservation, has been drawn in 2008.

The related commitment is the Budapest Declaration under the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats.

4000 km of powerlines out of approx.. 54 000 km of dangerous powerlines in Hungary has been retrofitted already to make them safe for birds.