The Dark Shadows of the Jolly Green Giants: Urgent Policy and Research Priorities in Renewable Energy Technologies

Keith R. Skene (Lead / Corresponding author)

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    3 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    This article reviews the environmental, ecological, and social impacts of current renewable energy technologies. Problems of these technologies are highlighted in terms of manufacturing, installation, lifetime, and end-of-life. What emerges are concerning issues that need to be urgently addressed as they potentially threaten the recovery of the Earth system and therefore also impact society. It is suggested that many of these issues have been overlooked because of our focus on carbon reduction, which, while important, may lead to a failure to deal with other equally concerning threats, and even exacerbate them. These threats are highlighted and then urgent priorities, in terms of policy, regulation, and research, are identified, paving the way to an energy future that does not threaten the functionality of the Earth system. Finally, key underlying themes are identified that may inform our decision-making as we move forward. If we are to aim for a truly sustainable future, in terms of economics, ecology, and society, this article argues that we must seek to aim higher than current practice and plan for a future that not only arrests anthropogenic climate destabilization and its threat to many species, including our own, but that builds the foundations for ecological recovery. Better-than-before is not good enough. We need energy technologies that minimize our impact on our planet.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalSustainability and climate change
    Volume14
    Issue number5
    Early online date12 Oct 2021
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Oct 2021

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'The Dark Shadows of the Jolly Green Giants: Urgent Policy and Research Priorities in Renewable Energy Technologies'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this