Development of a National Guideline: An Authorized Step Toward Coexistence Between Avian Populations and Power Companies in Iran

Abstract The improvement of guidelines concerning national birds and power lines was identified as the most important duty of Iran's Birds and Power Lines Committee (IBPLC). The IBPLC experts, including members of power transmission and distribution companies as well as ornithologists, reviewed this document and modified it based on the latest research and with consideration of international guidelines, notably the regulations adopted by Spain. These new guidelines will be supported by Tavanir, the authorized part of Iran’s Ministry of Energy. The developers aimed to establish an appropriate legal framework to provide a win–win scenario in which both biodiversity conservation and power infrastructure development are integrated in a common strategy. In comparison with the previous version, the new guidelines are more detailed, descriptive, convincing, scientific, up-to-date, and more focused on environmental goals. Herein, we review notable parts of the new guidelines, which can be regarded as a pioneering regulatory initiative in the Middle East.