Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Experts at a UN desertification conference in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, discussed how expanding renewable energy can align with land protection and restoration, citing examples from multiple countries.
The physical footprint of renewable energy infrastructure, currently about 500,000 hectares, is expected to grow to three million hectares by 2032, marking one of the largest land use changes in history, according to Julian Blanc, head of the Biodiversity and Land Branch at UNEP.
Examples include repurposing degraded mining land for renewables in South Africa, integrating solar panels with vegetation and sand control in Chinese deserts, and using solar irrigation to enable food production alongside clean energy in India.
Experts emphasized that local context is crucial when developing renewable energy projects. Muralee Thummarukudy of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification noted that proper siting can allow solar projects to support ecological restoration, while poor siting can cause harm.
Potential negative impacts include clearing vegetation, disturbing wildlife, altering water movement, and increasing flood risk. UNEP’s findings from Malawi’s Shire River Basin show how multiple hydropower plants can collectively stress fisheries, biodiversity, and downstream communities.