Renewable energy and biodiversity: Striking a balance

In a recent study, researchers highlight the conflict between renewable energy development and biodiversity conservation, suggesting careful planning to mitigate negative impacts.

Max Graham reports for Grist.

In short:

• Renewable energy projects, like solar and wind farms, often overlap with areas crucial for biodiversity and human needs such as clean water.
• The study emphasizes the importance of selecting appropriate locations for renewable energy projects to avoid harming critical habitats.
• Solutions include using already cleared or degraded land for renewable projects and integrating them with agriculture, like solar arrays among pollinator-friendly plants.

Key quote:

"We need to think carefully about how decisions in one sector, such as renewable energy development, might undermine goals in other sectors, such as habitat for pollinators or biodiversity conservation."

— Rachel Neugarten, Cornell University researcher

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