At a UN desertification conference in Mongolia, experts discussed how renewable energy expansion can co-exist with land protection and restoration, showcasing examples such as repurposing degraded mining land in South Africa and combining solar panels with vegetation in China. Renewable energy projects like solar irrigation in India are proving to generate electricity while benefiting agriculture and restoring land. The UN is calling for case studies on successful projects that integrate renewable energy with land, water, biodiversity, and communities to break dependence on fossil fuels while protecting and restoring nature globally. Planning for impactful renewables should consider wider landscape context, biodiversity, and input from local communities to minimize environmental impacts. Discussions are ongoing on how to pursue these goals simultaneously on the same land.
The clean energy transition needs land. Can it help restore it too?
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