Renewable Energy and Biodiversity Conservation

February 2022
Citation:
52
ELR 10079
Issue
2
Author
James McElfish Jr., Patrick Donnelly, Margaret Spring, and Priya Gandbhir

The rapid transition of energy resources from fossil fuels toward renewables has been widely recognized as an essential tool in mitigating climate change. Yet, renewable energy development projects and facilities can be land use-intensive and have the potential to negatively impact conservation areas. To attempt to tackle these issues, President Joseph Biden signed Executive Order No. 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, which (1) outlines a way forward for increasing both renewable energy production and acreage of conservation areas, and (2) pledges a target of conserving 30% of the nation's lands and waters by 2030. On September 28, 2021, the Environmental Law Institute hosted a panel of experts that explored the intersections of climate mitigation, renewable energy development, and biodiversity conservation. This Dialogue presents a transcript of that discussion, which has been edited for style, clarity, and space considerations.

James McElfish Jr. (moderator) is Director of the Sustainable Use of Land Program and a Senior Attorney at the Environmental Law Institute. Patrick Donnelly is the Nevada State Director at the Center for Biological Diversity. Margaret Spring is the Chief Conservation and Science Officer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Priya Gandbhir is a Staff Attorney at the Conservation Law Foundation.

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