The imperative to avert the climate crisis has thrust renewable energy systems (RESs) into the limelight. However, assessments of their sustainability have predominantly focused on environmental benefits, overlooking potential negative impacts. A recent study explores the question: Is renewable energy truly sustainable? By scrutinising the alignment of RESs with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we identify enabling and inhibiting relationships, shedding light on broader sustainability considerations beyond carbon reduction.
Transitioning to renewables to achieve net zero carbon emissions is laudable, yet it often leads to ‘carbon tunnel vision,’ obscuring wider impacts. The myopic focus on emissions reduction sidelines broader environmental, social, and economic implications. This risks unforeseen consequences, necessitating a nuanced understanding of RES impacts for sustainable transitions.
Sustainability of Renewable Energy Systems
While renewables promote climate action (SDG 13), they can also hinder progress by emitting greenhouse gases during production. Various RESs exhibit enabling and inhibiting relationships with environmental SDGs (e.g., SDGs 6, 14, and 15), impacting water quality, marine life, and land biodiversity. Socially, RESs affect poverty (SDG 1), hunger (SDG 2), health (SDG 3), and urban development (SDG 11), with both positive and negative implications. Economically, RESs influence job creation (SDG 8), innovation (SDG 9), and consumption patterns (SDG 12), posing challenges and opportunities.
Impact of Carbon Tunnel Vision
Carbon-centric perspectives overlook numerous negative sustainability impacts of RESs. Operational requirements, storage, and conversion processes contribute to resource competition, land use conflicts, and habitat disruption. Conversely, positive impacts, including poverty alleviation, improved health, and resource efficiency, are disregarded, distorting sustainability assessments.
Broadening Our Vision
Acknowledging the complex interplay between RESs and the SDGs is vital for informed decision-making. Identifying enabling and inhibiting relationships provides a framework for holistic sustainability assessments, guiding policy formulation and project management. Quantifying RES impacts on SDGs facilitates informed choices, ensuring sustainable transitions to renewables.
Conclusion
Renewable energy holds promise for combating climate change, but its sustainability hinges on holistic evaluations. By considering broader impacts beyond carbon reduction, we can navigate towards a sustainable energy future, avoiding past mistakes and realising the full potential of renewables for a thriving planet.
Source
Is renewable energy sustainable? Potential relationships between renewable energy production and the Sustainable Development Goals, Nature, 2024-05-08
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