Renewable energy development and environmental conservation are both goals often championed by environmentalists. They are both incredibly important, as both transitioning away from fossil fuels and protecting native species are key to averting the worst effects of the climate crisis. However, while both of these goals are often championed by similar people, many would argue that they are actually at odds with each other. This is because for renewable energy development to be successful, it often requires large-scale projects. These projects can often cause massive environmental harm through the destruction of land and the displacement of native species. Therefore, many argue that these two aims, often championed by groups in civil society, are actually in conflict.
To start with, defining what renewable energy actually is is incredibly important. Renewable energy is any energy source that has the ability to be replenished over a relatively short period of time and does not run out (unlike hydrocarbons or fossil fuels).
As for environmental conservation, there are two main types. One of these is environmental preservation, which aims to protect the natural area in its original form. In other words, this means there can be no human involvement in the environment. Environmental conservation is more focused on conserving the environment for the benefits it holds for humans and avoiding overexploitation of the environment.
This article will explore the debate between renewable energy goals and environmental conservation goals through a case study approach.
Tidal Barrier Case Study (United Kingdom)
Figure 1: Proposed Tidal Barrier
The above map shows the proposed location of the tidal barrier, which resides at ‘The Wash. The Wash is the sea, mudflats, and salt marsh between Lincolnshire and Norfolk, as highlighted in the above map. It is situated near key industrial areas, including Nottingham, Leicester, and Norwich. The tidal barrier would include the building of a port, which has the potential to power 600,000 homes and businesses in the area of the tidal barrier.
Figure 2: Picture showing native bird species in ‘The Wash’ area
There are a number of important benefits to building tidal barriers like the one shown above. This tidal barrier has the potential to power a large number of homes through a hydropower scheme. This could help the Nottingham, Leicester, and Norwich areas reduce their dependencies on fossil fuels and use fewer renewable energy sources, which has benefits for the environment. Furthermore, the development of the tidal barrier has other sociocultural benefits for the area, including a revitalization of the area, potential for sailing and cruise ship tourism, and the development of a new road that would link the Lincolnshire area to Norfolk in under twenty minutes. Therefore, those in charge of the project have advocated for its success as an important step in increasing renewable energy while also providing a number of benefits to the local community.
Figure 3: Protest Held to Protect ‘The Wash’ From Tidal Barrier Development
However, there has been a wide range of criticism from a number of civil society groups, including environmental organizations themselves. They argue that the construction of a tidal barrier across an important marine environment will cause damage to local species and the local environment. There is particular concern over how the construction of the tidal barrier will displace a globally important colony of seals and a number of bird species. The tidal barrier could also disrupt the natural flows and systems that take place in the wash. Given that The Wash is considered a ‘dynamic wilderness, there are complex flows of water and sediment in the area, which makes it a dynamic ecosystem fit for wildlife. Therefore, the general view among environmentalists is that the proposed tidal barrier is likely to be highly damaging to the environment and the local area. Even organizations like Greenpeace UK, which is normally in favor of renewable energy projects, are ‘skeptical’ of the potential for this particular project to go ahead.
Overall, while tidal barriers and hydropower schemes like the one explored above can have benefits, they can also disrupt local environments and wildlife, highlighting the potential risks of such projects.
The Franklin River (Australia)
Figure 4: Map of the Franklin River Area
The Franklin River debate was perhaps the most significant environmental issue in Australia to be debated as of yet. The Franklin River is situated on the west coast of Tasmania, an island with a population of only 500,000 people. It involved heated discussions between developers, who wished to build a dam on the Franklin River, and conservationists, who wished to protect the land from such development. At the time, the geographic area where the Franklin River is located was going through an economic downturn. The mining sector was scaling down, and many people were left without jobs. Furthermore, there was not enough electricity in the area, and a new system needed to be built.
Therefore, to solve both of these problems, a proposal was made to build a dam on the Franklin River, creating jobs for local people and increasing the electricity supply to Tasmania’s West Coast. While this satisfied some locals in the area, who wished for increased job security and a better energy solution for Tasmania’s west coast, many environmentalists were unsupportive of the project.
Figure 5: The Franklin River
The key argument in favor of building the Franklin River Dam was the need for power generation on Tasmania’s West Coast. The dam on the Franklin River would be able to power a large amount of electricity needed for Tasmania’s energy needs. Furthermore, the dam would provide jobs for locals, which were much needed after the reduction of the mining sector in the region. In addition, the renewable nature of the dam (a hydropower project) is better for the environment than fossil fuel-based energy sources.
In contrast to this, the environmentalists argued that, despite this being a renewable energy scheme, it would be incredibly harmful to the environment, as the dam project would essentially flood the river downstream. This would result in the displacement of local species and the destruction of the environment.
In the end, the Franklin River dam was not built after the area was granted UNESCO world heritage status. The core environmentalists involved eventually formed the basis of the first green party in the world, the Australian Greens. It was an important aspect of the development of Australia’s environmental movement.
Offshore Wind Farms (Japan)
Offshore wind farms have been a source of particular controversy recently. Offshore wind farms have a number of environmental benefits as they are renewable energy sources and can reduce dependency on fossil fuel energy sources. However, it has come under criticism from certain environmental and fishing groups, who are concerned it could disrupt migration patterns and the livelihoods of whales and other marine species. The Japanese offshore wind farms have been of particular concern due to their historical connection with whaling for so-called ‘scientific purposes’ conducted in the country.
There are a number of benefits to offshore wind farms, especially from a renewable energy perspective. One of the most significant benefits is renewable energy generation, as they generate clean and renewable energy. This helps reduce dependence on fossil fuels and contributes to mitigating climate change. Furthermore, wind farms do not produce direct emissions of greenhouse gases during operation, unlike fossil fuel-based power plants. This helps reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. From an environmental perspective, offshore wind farms generally have fewer impacts on wildlife as they are located away from important habitats and migration routes. Proper siting and design considerations can further minimize potential risks to marine life.
That said, there are also a number of negative aspects to offshore wind farms. These include the impact of the construction of wind farms, which can disturb marine ecosystems. Furthermore, there is a potential for bird and marine life collisions. While offshore wind farms have generally lower collision risks compared to onshore wind farms, there is still a potential for birds and marine species to collide with the turbines. In addition, the installation of undersea cables and associated infrastructure to transmit electricity from offshore wind farms to the onshore grid can cause disturbance to the seabed and affect marine ecosystems.
In Japan, there has been a major concern over the development of offshore wind farms, in particular for their impacts on fish and other wildlife species. In particular, the traditional practices of whaling in Japan for scientific purposes have resulted in many being weary of offshore wind farms.
The resurgence of hydropower (Laos)
Figure 6: Map showing the prevalence of dams in the Mekong River
In Laos, there are a number of dams that are under construction or planned to be built along the Mekong River. Many of these dams have been funded by external actors, including the Chinese government. While many have been optimistic for the future of hydropower through the use of dams in Laos, a low-income country, many have also been critical of the potential impact on ecosystems and biodiversity along the Mekong River.
The planned construction of dams in Laos has the potential to increase economic activity and energy security in what is a low-income country. The country has struggled from an economic perspective, and much of the population is in poverty. Therefore, the Laotian government has been looking for ways to improve economic activity in the country and has found that the construction of dams is able to provide energy security through hydropower and create jobs for locals. Furthermore, the government's costs of building the dams are reduced because many receive financial support from the Chinese government. Therefore, the construction of dams is aimed at assisting Laos in working towards its goal of becoming the ‘battery of Southeast Asia.’ This can help Southeast Asia reduce its dependency on fossil fuels. With the region being one of the fastest-growing regions from a population perspective, the construction of dams in Laos could help the broader region decrease its reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to reducing the impact of climate change.
Figure 7: Planned Location for Dam Construction
That said, the construction of dams has resulted in major environmental consequences. Many of the proposed dams have raised concerns from environmental experts over the potential loss of biodiversity and disruption to species living along the Mekong. For instance, the Phou Ngoy dam risks ‘blocking key migration routes’ and could impact fisheries. This problem is exasperated by the fact that this proposed dam would cut off a key link between the upper parts of the Mekong and the floodplains in the south, an area of biodiversity and ecological significance. When coupled with the negative social impacts of the dam, many have criticized the proposed dams for their socioeconomic and environmental costs.
Conclusion
As highlighted by the selected four case studies, there does seem to be a potential trade-off between renewable energy development and environmental conservation of protected species. However, this is more of an issue in the short term, as if the global community does not transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy, many more species will be impacted.
Therefore, the best possible solution is to continue to develop renewable energy, but do so in a way that causes the least possible impact on species. This could be achieved through more rigorous environmental impact assessments and mitigation strategies, more stringent monitoring of renewable and non-renewable energy developments alike, and investment in technologies to reduce the impact of renewable energy development on ecosystem and biodiversity wellbeing.
It is a fascinating issue and should continue to be explored by governments and environmental scientists alike. It will be interesting to see how this issue develops in this time of increased global uncertainty.
Works Cited:
Images Used:
Figure 4: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Franklin-Gordon_Wild_Rivers_National_Park_locator_map.svg
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