Mitigating biodiversity impacts associated with solar and wind energy development: guidelines for project developers

Abstract

Achieving a low-GHG emissions, climate-resilient future, in accordance with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), necessitates rapid, sustained and far-reaching transformations in energy, land-use, urban infra- structure and industrial systems.4 A crucial compo- nent of these transformations is the rapid scaling up of renewable energy generation. The transition to renewable energy sources of energy is already underway. Renewable power ca- pacity is forecast to expand by 50% between 2019 and 2024, driven by rapidly falling costs and policy reform. Solar PV is expected to account for almost 60% of this growth, followed by wind, hydropower and bioenergy.5 Under the Stated Policies Scenario of the International Energy Agency (IEA), the continued rise in energy demand will require 8.5 Terawatt (TW) of new power installed capacity by 2040, of which two-thirds is expected to be from renewables,6 primarily solar and wind. Corporate sourcing of renewable energy is also increasing rapidly, representing approximately 18.5% of re- newable energy demand in the commercial and industrial sectors in 2018. This positions companies alongside utilities as major buyers of clean energy globally. Large-scale expansion of renewable energy is vital for a sustainable future. However, these technolo- gies themselves pose potential risks to biodiversity and ecosystem services. Expansion must be care- fully planned and managed so that environmental benefits are maximised, and damage to nature is minimised. This is also important in securing pub- lic support and regulatory facilitation for the rapid growth needed in these sectors. These guidelines provide a practical manual for managing risks to biodiversity and ecosystem ser- vices in wind and solar energy projects. Its aim is to help such projects achieve the best environmental outcomes, and facilitate the energy transition to wind and solar power.