The Indalo Association's Stance on Albany Wind Farm: A Call for Comprehensive Evaluation

Makhanda, 26 March 2023: In response to recent claims made by EDF Renewables regarding the Albany Wind Farm development, the Indalo Association underscores the need for a thorough and holistic evaluation of the project's environmental and socio-economic impacts.

Statement 1: Scoping & Environmental Impact Assessment

EDF claims full compliance with Scoping and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements. The Indalo Association acknowledges these efforts, but stresses the necessity for a broader assessment as there has been a change in socioeconomic profile since EDF first brought  the application (preCovid). The Indalo association manages an 80,000-hectare Protected Environment, playing a pivotal role in biodiversity conservation and ecotourism in the region and contributing significantly to the local economy. The potential risks to these ecosystems and tourism-driven livelihoods demand careful consideration which the EIA process hasn’t affored it thus necessitating the lodging of an appeal and the appointment of independent peer recognised experst by the association and allied stakeholders.

Statement 2: Socio-Economic and Related Visual Impacts

The Indalo Association aligns with concerns raised by North West University Tourism Research in Economics, Environs and Society – TREES, Rhodes University's Dept of Economics and Economic History and other peer-recognized experts regarding the risk of poorly located large-scale wind energy developments to nature-based tourism and biodiversity economies. The lack of a tourism impact assessment as part of the wider EIA and again in the Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) amendment application in the face of comncerns raised by peer recognised experts is taken as a lack of concern by EDF in terms of tourism and tourism jobs impact. The association emphasises a precautionary approach to prevent detrimental impacts on ecotourism-dependent localities.

Statement 3: Proximity to Addo Elephant National Park

While acknowledging the distance from the Addo Elephant National Park, Indalo and Buffalo Kloof Protected Environments are located in the Addo to Great Fish Biodiversity Corridor (also referred to as Albany  Corridor), which in turn forms a key component of the larger Addo to Amathole Biodiversity Economy Node, under development by SANPARKS & SANBI and funded by GEF World Bank. The above initiatives recognise Addo Elephant National Park as an anchor to regional conservation and tourism in the area. Apart from the Bayview wind development, all the other turbines in the Addo image are of EDF wind energy applications (Motherwell, Ukomoleeza, Scalet Ibiss, Dassies Ridge). Indalo highlights the need for restorationof land and ecosystem linkages to ensure interconnectedness of ecosystems and the cumulative impact of wind farms on the region. Large-scale wind energy developments, even if not immediately, can have far-reaching consequences for the overall region in terms of regional protected area expansion and ecosystem restoration. The health and sustainability of ecosystems, including those indirectly linked to Addo Elephant National Park, must be considered holistically.

Statement 4: Visual Impact

Whilst Acknowledging EDF's efforts insofar as turbine reductions are concerned, the Indalo Association asserts the subjective nature of visual perceptions and the importance of preserving landscapes. Indalo notes that EDF did not provide view simulations in its final layout and EMPr amendment Interested & Affected Parties (I&Aps) are deprived of a fundamental right to know what the amended development would look like. The reduction in turbines is noted, but the broader question remains about the transformation of pristine landscapes into industrial ones.

Statement 5: Socio-Economic Development and Job Creation

The Indalo Association and Buffalo Kloof are officially-recognised Protected Areas in terms of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, and along with other private game reserves and game farms contribute significantly to the region's socio-economic fabric. Beyond job creation, the association emphasises the consideration of communities, conservation efforts, and economic contributions.

Statement 6: Job Creation

Indalo questions the sustainability and local impact of the job creation touted by EDF, urging a more detailed plan for meaningful employment and long-term benefits for local communities.

As the development of plans for the Albany Wind Farm progress, the Indalo Association urges policymakers to consider the far-reaching consequences on pristine landscapes and local economies. The emphasis is on striking a balance between renewable energy development and the preservation of ecosystems vital for biodiversity and tourism.

EDF makes reference to 900 jobs that will be created by the project during construction. Of these only 20 are permanent jobs – the rest are temporary and most will not be available to local residents in the Makhanda area.

In comparison, the eight Indalo reserves alone provide over 1 600 permanent jobs, of which 70% are held by the primary income earner in their family, Buffalo Kloof reserves also employ a significant number of people . This employment by the Indalo reserves is but a small proportion of the thousands of jobs relying on tourism and tourism activity in the region.

In 2023, the eight reserves received more than 86 000 visitors, of which approximately 80% were international visitors, generating economic activity in excess of R600 million for the region. This is but a small component of the overall tourism and related business in the region. The key role of Protected Areas in job creation is formally recognised in the Addo to Amathole Biodiversity Economy Node planning.

A decline in tourism activity in the region threatens not only the existence of these protected areas and the employment opportunities they present to local residents, but risks destroying the ecological integrity of the greater region, and the natural inheritance of future generations.

Economic impact analysis  indicates that on a per unit basis of investment that in terms of employment, Private Game Reserve perform almost three times better than wind farms. This is noteworthy in areas such as the noted municipal districts, where unemployment is especially rife.

The main economic concern of the Indalo Protected Area, Private Game Reserves is the potential devaluation of their tourism offering if wind energy facilities (or any other highly intrusive developments affecting wilderness sense of place) are allowed to encroach on the Indalo Protected Area environmental goods and service offerings and specifically the tourism product which funds Protected Area establishment and management.