Predicted wind and solar energy expansion has minimal overlap with multiple conservation priorities across global regions.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
; 119(6)2022 02 08.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35101973
ABSTRACT
Protected areas and renewable energy generation are critical tools to combat biodiversity loss and climate change, respectively. Over the coming decades, expansion of the protected area network to meet conservation objectives will be occurring alongside rapid deployment of renewable energy infrastructure to meet climate targets, driving potential conflict for a finite land resource. Renewable energy infrastructure can have negative effects on wildlife, and co-occurrence may mean emissions targets are met at the expense of conservation objectives. Here, we assess current and projected overlaps of wind and solar photovoltaic installations and important conservation areas across nine global regions using spatially explicit wind and solar data and methods for predicting future renewable expansion. We show similar levels of co-occurrence as previous studies but demonstrate that once area is accounted for, previous concerns about overlaps in the Northern Hemisphere may be largely unfounded, although they are high in some biodiverse countries (e.g., Brazil). Future projections of overlap between the two land uses presented here are generally dependent on priority threshold and region and suggest the risk of future conflict can be low. We use the best available data on protected area degradation to corroborate this level of risk. Together, our findings indicate that while conflicts between renewables and protected areas inevitably do occur, renewables represent an important option for decarbonization of the energy sector that would not significantly affect area-based conservation targets if deployed with appropriate policy and regulatory controls.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Energia Solar
/
Mudança Climática
/
Conservação dos Recursos Naturais
/
Biodiversidade
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
País/Região como assunto:
America do sul
/
Brasil
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2022
Tipo de documento:
Article