Can Renewable Energy and Nature Co-exist?

Olivia Inniss
2 days ago
3 min read

Author: Olivia Inniss

In the words of the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity, "all life warrants respect." As we race to enact this renewable energy transition, we must remember that saving our climate should not come at the expense of the ecosystems that sustain us.

From colossal wind turbines that disrupt bird migration routes to the sprawling solar farms that take over valuable habitats, renewable energy is no stranger to controversy. As of 2021, a staggering 85% of Europe’s habitats and species were in decline, with only 15% in a positive state. This figure reveals the detrimental impact of the renewable energy shift and presents the question: How can we enable this energy transition without sacrificing our natural world?

How Has the EU Responded?

Examining the EU’s approach, in 2001 it adopted a strategy to stop biodiversity loss, a target regrettably missed by a wide margin. Now the EU has committed once again to restoring nature with the introduction of the EU Nature Restoration Law– a promising step. It requires Member States to repair 30% of degraded habitats by 2030, aiming for 90% by 2050. Not only does this mandate the restoration of degraded ecosystems, but also enforces active measures to rebuild habitats and integrate conservation efforts across many critical sectors.

Environmental Law

Is the law capable of addressing this issue? Encouragingly, there is a plethora of legal frameworks that already exist to protect biodiversity, including the EU Nature Restoration Law, as previously discussed and more specifically to the UK, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The judiciary’s strong reliance on guiding principles, such as the ‘integration principle’, is another significant asset. This aims to entrench environmental considerations directly into legislation, ensuring they are at the forefront of policymaking.

However, it is important to approach this with caution, as a distinct pattern emerges in the application of environmental laws. Courts often favour economic and social factors above ecological protection. The Lappel Bank case is a crucial example, where a formerly protected bird habitat was sacrificed for expansion purposes. Despite the European Court of Justice later ruling that economic interests should not override environmental obligations, the habitat had already been destroyed. This underwhelming reality comments on current attitudes that struggle to put environmental welfare first.

Solutions

So, with targets missed and laws often failing the environment, how can we rectify this problem? Many believe the solution lies in market-based approaches. Two mechanisms stand out:

Firstly, ‘Habitat Banking’. Think of this as an environmental investment scheme. Developers offset the detrimental impact of their project by creating or restoring habitats elsewhere. This allows for large-scale habitat preservation that benefits biodiversity in the long term.

Another strategy is ‘Payments for Ecosystem Services’. This governs that landowners receive financial incentives for managing their land in an environmentally conscious way.

Yet, even with these market-based strategies, a more multifaceted approach is necessary. Environmental researchers have been vocal advocates for integrated approaches, which embed biodiversity concerns into all planning processes. For example, strategically placing wind turbines in high-wind zones near existing infrastructure not only increases energy made but also minimises disruption to sensitive habitats. Similarly, upgrading old wind turbines with modern ones, known as repowering, could generate more energy without expanding further. While there are more examples to consider, it’s clear that truly tackling biodiversity loss requires us to be constantly seeking a wider range of solutions.

The Future

When looking forward, market-based and integrated approaches do create solutions where legal frameworks fall short. While the transition to renewable energy is essential to combat climate change, it is unfortunate that our ecosystems are compromised as a result. Halting this transition, however, would have even graver consequences on nature. The challenge is considerable, but a future where renewable energy and biodiversity can co-exist is within reach if we are truly committed to prioritising sustainability.