Energy Sprawl Solutions: Balancing Global Development and Conservation

By Sharon Baruch-Mordo, Leandro Baumgarten, David Richard Cameron and 25 more

Over the next several decades, as human populations grow and developing countries become more affluent, the demand for energy will soar. Parts of the energy sector are preparing to meet this demand by increasing renewable energy production, which is necessary to combat climate change. But many renewable energy sources have a large energy sprawl—the amount of land needed to produce energy—which can threaten biodiversity and conservation. Is it possible to meet this rise in energy demand, while still conserving natural places and species?
 
In Energy Sprawl Solutions, scientists Joseph M. Kiesecker and David Naugle provide a roadmap for preserving biodiversity despite the threats of energy sprawl. Their strategy—development by design—brings together companies, communities, and governments to craft blueprints for sustainable land development. This commonsense approach identifies and preemptively sets aside land where biodiversity can thrive while consolidating development in areas with lower biodiversity value. This approach makes sense for energy industries and governments, which can confidently build sustainability into their energy futures.
 
This contributed volume brings together experts in diverse fields such as biodiversity conservation, ecology, ecosystem services, wildlife, fisheries, planning, energy, economics, and finance. Early chapters set the context for global patterns of biodiversity risk from energy extraction and the challenges of achieving a green future while maintaining energy security. Middle chapters are devoted to case studies from countries around the world, each describing a different energy sector and the collaborative process involved in planning complex energy projects in a way that maximizes biodiversity protection. Detailed maps and charts help orient readers to countries and energy sectors, providing proof for what is possible.
 
With biodiversity declining rapidly because of an energy-hungry world, this book provides a needed guide for elected officials, industry representatives, NGOs and community groups who have a stake in sustainable energy-development planning.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Island Press
• Release date: Jun 15, 2017
• ISBN: 9781610917230

Book preview

Preface

In the well-known words of Thomas Friedman, we live on a hot, flat, and crowded planet with our every move utterly dependent upon cheap and abundant energy. Without it, today’s modern society would grind to a halt.

We all have benefited greatly from recent transformations in communication, transportation, and food production made possible by access to energy. Many of us now live longer and healthier lives. This modern lifestyle is so appealing that 6 billion people in developing countries around the world are trying to live it.

By 2050, the human footprint of energy development and the accompanying losses in ecosystem services and biodiversity will be massive—if we continue to extract that energy in the same way as we do now. Predictions show a possible 65 percent increase in energy demand by 2050. This means that regardless of the energy development path we choose—business as usual or renewables instead of fossil fuels—the resulting energy footprint will continue to vex us.

The harsh reality of our global energy future is the struggle to find a way to sustainably provide for a projected nine billion people by 2050. Just as the twentieth century is known for technological growth in support of the human experience, we of the twenty-first will be remembered for our ability to rapidly implement creative solutions to address resulting energy and climate challenges (figs. 0-1 and 0-2).

Now we are at a crossroads. We already have solid scientific findings that show the cumulative impacts from energy development to the environment. New tools to mitigate those impacts are available, but we haven’t yet seen many of the benefits. And we won’t fully realize those benefits until decision makers put these strategies into widespread use. Unfortunately, however, this issue has not received the attention it deserves. This void seems implausible when climate change, energy scarcity, and energy security have dominated front-page headlines for the past several