The article describes how a French court ordered EDF Renouvelables to shut down its wind turbines on a southern France farm for four months annually after finding them responsible for the deaths of 160 protected bats and birds, particularly lesser kestrels.

This landmark ruling in criminal proceedings held EDF and nine subsidiaries liable, issuing substantial fines and a suspended sentence to a former executive. The court’s decision, prompted by environmental concerns over declining bird populations, also mandates financial compensation for environmental damage and the publication of the verdict.

This case highlights the growing global debate surrounding the impact of wind farms on avian wildlife, with other countries exploring mitigation strategies.