Introduction
1. Addressing Energy Poverty and Ensuring the Right to Universal, Gender-Just, Non-Racist, and Equitable Access to Sufficient Energy
Nearly 800 million people have no access to electricity, and many more have barely enough for basic needs. Addressing energy poverty is fundamental to developing 100% renewable energy systems. While Global North countries provide near-universal access to electricity, many Global South countries struggle to provide adequate and affordable electricity services to their citizens, especially those in rural and remote areas. Historical legacies of colonialism, unequal trade relations, and geopolitical power dynamics have contributed to the concentration of energy resources and infrastructure in the Global North and the constraints on the ability of Global South countries to invest in energy infrastructure and transition to renewable energy sources.
Many governments, financial institutions, and corporations use energy poverty as an excuse to delay the phase-out of fossil fuels or to continue their expansion. However, renewable energy is the real solution to energy poverty. The sources are widely available so countries need not be continuously dependent on importing energy. The construction of power generation infrastructures takes less time, and the production of renewable energy sources is less costly than that of fossil fuels. Renewable energy systems are more flexible in scale and modalities, and thus, harder-to-reach areas can be better served.
The transition to 100% renewable energy systems must be centered on fulfilling the right to universal, gender-just, non-racist and equitable access to sufficient energy and promoting the well-being of people and communities. In renewable energy planning and implementation, marginalized communities, vulnerable groups and underserved populations need to be prioritized, including those living in remote areas and informal settlements. Moreover, a gender-just and non-racist approach that recognizes and addresses the specific challenges of women, minorities, and communities of people of color is crucial.
Availability, reliability, safety, sufficiency, and affordability must be ensured. Affordability can be addressed through equitable energy pricing mechanisms and targeted subsidies.
While Global North countries provide near-universal access to electricity, many Global South countries struggle to provide adequate and affordable electricity services to their citizens, especially those in rural and remote areas.
2. Promoting Efficient, Equitable, and Sufficient Energy Production, Distribution and Consumption
The world must move away from the extractivist relations embedded within current global and national energy value chains toward a new order with equity as a central tenet.
Even with the shift to renewable energy systems, the current pace of energy demand growth will still present a huge drain on the earth’s resources and risk harmful impacts on ecosystems. Hence, the principles of equity, efficiency, and sufficiency must be embedded in energy systems.
Efficient:
Efficiency in energy production, distribution, and consumption is paramount for optimizing resource utilization and minimizing social and environmental impacts. Renewable energy systems can achieve higher productivity with reduced resource inputs by adopting energy-efficient technologies, infrastructures, and policies. Strategies such as incorporating energy storage solutions, demand-side management, and smart grid technologies can enhance system flexibility and reliability, enabling optimization and smoother integration of renewable energy sources into the grid.
Sufficient:
Decarbonizing our economies and providing universal access must squarely meet the challenges of curbing excessive and wasteful energy consumption, especially in the industrial and commercial sectors and among the elites. Civil society, governments, and institutions must promote a new paradigm of sufficiency in energy systems, and governments must put in place regulatory policies to reduce wasteful and excessive energy consumption.
Equitable:
Many communities close to energy generation projects still suffer from a lack of energy access. Furthermore, several countries in the Global South, from which a vast supply of transition minerals are extracted, face considerable challenges in utilizing those resources for their own renewable energy development. The world must move away from the extractivist relations embedded within current global and national energy value chains toward a new order with equity as a central tenet. Structural inequities in production, trade, distribution, and consumption must be corrected. Energy resources and benefits must be equitably shared within and across countries.
3. Building Democratic, More Decentralized and Distributed Energy Systems
The transition to renewable energy is not just about replacing old energy sources with new ones – it’s about building democratic, more decentralized, and distributed energy systems and moving away from traditional centralized energy models that concentrate ownership, control, and power in the hands of a few.
Democratic ownership, governance, planning, and management of energy systems foster transparency, accountability, and shared responsibility and promote equitable sharing of the benefits of renewable energy. In addition, a more democratic approach ensures that the well-being of local communities and the environment are prioritized and enables the harnessing of Indigenous and local knowledge. Democratic energy systems empower households, communities, women, people of color, Indigenous peoples, workers, farmers, and other marginalized groups to shape energy policies, including energy production, demand projection, energy supply and planning targets, investment decisions, and regulation.
The principle of energy democracy emphasizes the importance of decentralization in the energy sector. Instead of relying solely on large-scale power plants and highly centralized grid infrastructure, energy democracy promotes the development of distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar panels, small wind turbines, community-managed microgrids, and smaller-scale storage systems. These decentralized systems enable households, communities, and local businesses to generate their own electricity, manage local renewable resources, increase energy resilience and independence, and contribute to local economic development. Moreover, decentralized and distributed energy systems generate electricity closer to the point of consumption, thus reducing transmission costs and losses and enhancing grid stability and reliability by providing backup power during outages.
Utility-scale renewable energy projects – with the capacity to harness abundant renewable resources and generate significant amounts of electricity efficiently and cost-effectively – also play a crucial role in the transition to renewable and clean energy systems. These projects require consultation/inclusion and must consider community-based socio-economic development, as well as respect for cultural aspects. Labor conversion must be prioritized, when possible, in locations where fossil fuel phase-out occurs. Utility-scale and decentralized smaller-scale renewable energy structures are not mutually exclusive and can be integrated into democratic energy systems.
Local communities, unions, and governments at the national and subnational levels should play an active and leading role in the rapid and just transition to equitable and democratic renewable energy systems. This includes promoting and supporting community-led and managed energy projects by facilitating access to appropriate and sustainable financing, technology, knowledge, and training and by developing grids that effectively integrate variable renewable energy sources and small-scale decentralized renewable energy projects.
The private sector and corporations must take on their share of responsibility in meeting their own energy needs, especially given the high energy demand in the industrial and commercial sectors. Electricity and energy markets must be democratically and effectively regulated and made to work for people, communities, and the climate. Public and private entities involved in renewable energy systems at all stages must institutionalize robust mechanisms for stakeholder consultations and redress of grievances.
Local communities, unions, and governments at the national and subnational levels should play an active and leading role in the rapid and just transition to equitable and democratic renewable energy systems.
4. Upholding and Protecting Human Rights
Renewable energy systems – including technologies, designs, operations, and management structures – must be gender-just.
The transition process and the resulting renewable energy systems must uphold human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil And Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and other related international agreements.
The rights of Indigenous peoples to territory and Free, Prior, and Informed consent (FPIC)1 must be protected. FPIC should also be institutionalized and enforced for all affected communities. Governments must uphold and protect the rights of children2, including prohibiting child labor. Governments and all entities in renewable energy industries must uphold workers’ rights to living wages, decent work, essential services, social protection, tenure security, freedom of association, formal employment, and occupational safety. It is also vital to support workforce diversity in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, socio-economic background, religion, nationality, and cultural background. This can be done by addressing barriers to employment opportunities through education, career guidance, retraining, reskilling, and upskilling programs.
Governments and institutions must not tolerate discrimination, harassment, violence, and patriarchal and racist policies, practices, and behaviors that violate the rights of women, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, minorities, people of color, and other marginalized groups. Renewable energy systems – including technologies, designs, operations, and management structures – must be gender-just.
Governments must also establish legal and other mechanisms to protect the human rights of environmental defenders and must not tolerate physical or psychological violence or political persecution against them. These mechanisms are vital as individuals and communities around the globe face increasing threats and attacks for their efforts to protect the environment and advocate for environmental justice.
5. Ensuring Safety and Security
The safety and security of workers involved in the extraction of transition minerals and the construction, operation, and maintenance of renewable energy infrastructure, as well as of the communities residing near these facilities, must be guaranteed. Stringent safety standards, comprehensive risk assessments, robust emergency response plans, health and safety protocols, providing personal protective clothing and equipment (PPE), and safety and security training are essential to minimize the risks of accidents, injuries, and health hazards. Domestic and regional labor law, labor agreements and the International Labor Organization’s standards must be followed.
Cyber and data safety and security are other aspects of safety and security to be considered. This includes IT infrastructure, records, finance, and resources, as well as cybersecurity to prevent unauthorized access, theft, data breaches, and disruptions to energy supply. Measures may include implementing robust security protocols, encryption standards, and intrusion detection systems to safeguard critical infrastructure and sensitive data, along with training programs to promote digital inclusion.
In addition to the safety of workers and the IT infrastructure, security questions must be looked at from the point of view of environment and ecosystem safety and security. This includes safeguarding ecological integrity, biodiversity, and natural resources from potential adverse risks and impacts of renewable energy development. While renewable energy technologies offer vastly significant environmental benefits, they may also pose potential risks, such as degrading habitats, changing unsustainable land use, aggravating soil erosion and wildlife displacement, and impacts on watersheds and water quality. Conducting thorough environmental impact assessments, ensuring appropriate plans and designs, and implementing measures to minimize and continuously monitor impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity are imperative.
The safety and security of workers involved in the extraction of transition minerals and the construction, operation, and maintenance of renewable energy infrastructure, as well as of the communities residing near these facilities, must be guaranteed.
6. Ensuring Democratic and Sustainable Governance, Management, and Use of Land, Water, Marine, and Other Natural Resources
Democratic and sustainable governance and management of land, water, and natural resources calls for participatory land use and marine spatial planning.
The rapid transition to 100% renewable energy systems will involve an immense leap in demand for land, water, marine, and other natural resources. These resources must be governed, managed, and used in a democratic and sustainable way to ensure equitable access to resources, protect human rights, prevent social and environmental harm, balance competing needs, and resolve conflicts.
Competition for control over land, water, and marine resources spurs conflict, human rights abuses, and corporate monopoly control over resources. The use of Land, water, and other natural resources in the Global South is subordinated to the demands of elites, corporations, and global markets. The global transition to renewable energy systems may perpetuate the same risks and priorities.
The huge demand for land, water, and marine resources for renewables may run in conflict with programs to build robust and sustainable food systems that prioritize staple food production for domestic needs, promote agroecology, protect the rights of communities or small food producers, and ensure people’s access to sufficient and nutritious food. Large-scale renewable energy projects may exacerbate land and water grabs and disrupt livelihoods and seasonal land-use practices. They can also block or restrict access routes to farmland and drinking water, displace people inhabiting ancestral lands, and negatively impact biodiversity and aquatic life. Deforestation is another risk associated with a rapid increase in demand for land for renewable energy development.
Democratic and sustainable governance and management of land, water, and natural resources calls for participatory land use and marine spatial planning. Other important measures include integrated water resource management, the enforcement of robust social and environmental regulatory systems, strong programs for ecological restoration and conservation, and policies to ensure equitable access to these resources.
Governments should promote diverse renewable energy systems with the appropriate scales and technologies. Integrated land and marine use and planning and ecosystem-based approaches can enhance the compatibility of renewable energy projects with other vital resource uses, such as the sustainable production of adequate staple food for domestic consumption and universal access to adequate water for basic needs. The rights of farmers, fisherfolk, forest dwellers, Indigenous peoples, and other communities whose livelihoods are based on these resources must be protected.
Land use policies and renewable energy systems must account for impacts on seasonal farmers, pastoralists, and other migratory and landless groups whose livelihoods are not tied to a single area throughout the year. Clear policies against deforestation for renewable energy projects must be adopted and enforced. There should be policies designating “no-go zones” for energy projects, considering all social and environmental factors, including Indigenous and traditional uses of lands, ecologically sensitive areas, biodiversity, and hazards related to the environment or topography, such as risks of land or water contamination and earthquakes.
7. Ensuring Sustainable and Equitable Extraction, Distribution, and Consumption of Transition Minerals
Renewable energy systems are far less extractivist than fossil fuel energy systems that require continuous extraction of fossil fuels. However, extractive industries for transition minerals are also afflicted with harmful practices, impacts, and inequitable relations that have persisted in the extractive industries and energy sector for decades. The accelerated transition to 100% renewable energy systems will mean a proportionately massive rise in the scale and volume of extraction of transition minerals and, therefore, a corresponding increase in risks and threats. These risks and threats must be comprehensively addressed, and the transition to renewable energy must be taken as an opportunity to transform the transition minerals industries.
International and national policies, regulatory systems, and accountability measures on the extraction, mining, and processing of transition minerals for renewable energy (as with all minerals) must be instituted and applied with robust governance, transparency, human and territorial rights, labor, social, gender, environmental, and financial standards and safeguards. Governments and entities (public and private) should implement due diligence processes to assess and reduce or eliminate risks and harms along the supply chain, from mining to manufacturing, and engage with suppliers to promote responsible sourcing practices. In addition, decision-making on these policies and regulatory systems must be democratic and involve the participation of affected communities and populations, including the creation of community-led consultation protocols. International cooperation, cross-border agreements, and programs should also prevent and effectively address human rights violations and resource-related conflicts. Transparent, fair, and equitable multilateral and bilateral trade and investment agreements on transition minerals must be pursued.
All entities (including international, national, and local public institutions and private corporations) engaged in renewable energy extractive industries must be held fully accountable for human rights violations in mineral extraction operations. The equitable distribution of benefits from extracting transition minerals at all levels – local, national, and global – is vital. This includes practices such as revenue sharing with local communities, ensuring opportunities for local employment and economic development, fair taxation, and contribution to public revenues.
National programs and international cooperation are essential to strengthen the capacity of Global South’s countries to utilize their transition minerals for their own renewable energy systems. These should include finance, technology transfer, and knowledge sharing.
Transition minerals are finite resources, and their extraction and consumption must be managed within the framework of a circular economy to rein in demand, minimize waste, avoid depletion, and maximize resource efficiency. Global, regional, and national governments and institutions should establish programs and policies for the recycling and reusing minerals, reducing dependency on virgin materials, prioritizing resource conservation and recovery, and promoting energy efficiency.
Curbing excessive energy consumption that increases the demand for transition minerals and exacerbates inequitable access to and consumption of these minerals is also paramount. By embracing a circular economy approach, renewable energy systems can become more sustainable and resilient, reducing their environmental footprint and reliance on scarce resources. Furthermore, global, regional, and national efforts are needed in the research and development of alternative materials, new processing methods, and innovative technologies to substitute or reduce the use of transition mineral resources and the ecological footprint of materials production. Before wide deployment, new technologies must be subject to strict social and environmental standards and impact assessments.
Transition minerals are finite resources, and their extraction and consumption must be managed within the framework of a circular economy to rein in demand, minimize waste, avoid depletion, and maximize resource efficiency.
8. Protecting Ecological Integrity and Biodiversity; Promoting Ecological Restoration and Regeneration
Land, forest, water, and marine policies should ensure the protection of critical habitats, wildlife corridors, and biodiversity hotspots.
While renewable energy systems offer immense social, economic, environmental, and climate benefits, their deployment can still threaten ecosystems and biodiversity. Governments must establish and enforce policies, programs, and regulatory systems, as well as promote holistic ecosystem-based management, to ensure that the protection of ecological integrity and biodiversity and the promotion of ecological restoration and regeneration are integrated into renewable energy planning and development, including site selection, project design, and operational practices. Land, forest, water, and marine policies should ensure the protection of critical habitats, wildlife corridors, and biodiversity hotspots.
There must be robust environmental impact assessments, compliance with environmental standards and safeguards, and accompanying programs for ecological restoration as requirements for renewable energy projects. For example, large-scale wind and solar installations may lead to land use changes that can result in habitat fragmentation, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and impacts on watersheds and water quality. Onsite restoration measures can correct or counteract these impacts and contribute to the recovery of ecosystems3. Examples include replanting forests, enhancing habitats, and rehabilitating ecosystems.
Sustainable and innovative renewable energy development has massive potential to contribute to the long-term health of ecological systems by adopting holistic, ecosystems-based approaches and integrating protection, restoration, and regeneration measures in planning, design, implementation, and management.
Achieving a new global energy system centered around renewables and engaged in the regeneration, restoration, and protection of ecological systems requires a transformative paradigm shift away from the current extractive economy and extractivist relations between and within countries.
9. Mobilizing Adequate, Sustainable and Responsible Finance for Renewable Energy
Trillions of dollars are needed for the rapid, equitable, and just transition to 100% renewable energy systems. Indeed, one of the most significant challenges to achieving this transition is mobilizing finance at the scale and speed necessary, especially in the Global South.
However, scale and speed are not the only important parameters. The sources, nature, quality and finance modalities are also fundamental considerations.
The rapid, equitable, and just transition and the resulting democratic renewable energy systems call for a mix of international and domestic sources and mechanisms prioritizing equity and sustainability. Mobilizing and managing finance should enable various actors, including national and subnational governments, public financial institutions, communities, cooperatives, households, workers, unions, farmers, schools, universities, hospitals, and micro, small, and medium-scale enterprises.
Public Financing
Public financing is paramount. Governments need public finance to lead and fulfill their roles and duties in a rapid, just, and equitable transition and in building democratic, more decentralized, distributed, and efficient 100% renewable energy systems. The transition will not be rapid enough nor equitable and just if left primarily to the private sector and the market.
Some of the major sources of public finance include:
- Climate Finance
Climate finance is an indispensable funding stream for the transition to 100% renewable energy systems, and it is an obligation of Global North governments to the Global South, as stipulated in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It is an integral part of the reparations for the vast historical and continuing responsibility of the Global North for the climate crisis.
Climate finance should be public, grants-based, new, additional, predictable, and non-debt-creating. Global North governments should clearly express their financial commitments in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Thus far, they have been failing to deliver on their full obligations. Climate Finance flows are still only a tiny fraction of what is needed, and more than half are in the form of loans. Global North governments can raise public funds for Climate Finance by shifting public subsidies away from fossil fuels, taxing profiteers and polluters more effectively, and cutting funds for war and militarization.
Climate finance must be distributed to Global South countries transparently and equitably, and Global South governments must ensure that the funds are utilized appropriately and responsibly. Climate finance channels and mechanisms at the global and national levels must have democratic, transparent, and accountable governance structures and include access by and participation of affected communities and civil society.
- Tax Justice and Stopping Illicit Financial Flows
Urgently needed tax justice reforms must be undertaken, and illicit financial flows must be addressed at national and global levels. Every year, hundreds of billions of dollars of potential public revenues are lost both in the Global North and the Global South through illicit financial flows that include tax avoidance and evasion, especially by transnational corporations. Many governments share responsibility for corporate tax abuses by establishing their countries as tax havens and secrecy jurisdictions that enable multinational corporations to circumvent tax policies.
- Cancellation of Public Debts
The cancellation of public debts and other debt-relief measures are urgently needed to free up public resources in the Global South. The huge public debts of countries in the Global South are a debilitating burden, constraining economic development and climate action and exacerbating vulnerabilities to climate impacts. The accumulation of unsustainable and illegitimate public debt throughout decades is primarily the consequence of supply-driven lending, unequal economic and financial relations across countries, and domestic economies constantly suffering from a net outflow of resources from the Global South to the Global North. The latter is caused by pervasive conditions in which domestic economies are dominated by foreign investments and transnational corporations, are inordinately dependent on imports, and are primarily oriented to exporting cheap raw materials and semi-finished products, and providing cheap labor.
International cooperation is also vital for the establishment of a global, democratic, and transparent mechanism to address unsustainable and illegitimate debts and pave the way for changes in international lending policies and practices that perpetuate debt accumulation, grossly unfair terms, and the imposition of policy conditionalities on Global South countries. Global South governments must pursue economic policies to move away from over-reliance on borrowing.
- Special Drawing Rights (SDR)
The re-issuance and allocations of SDRs must truly benefit the Global South and climate and energy actions. While SDR re-issuance is an opportunity that must be considered, it is critical to tread carefully, learn from the experience of previous SDR issuances, and explicitly address constraints and risks that can create new, unintended problems.
Private Financing and Investments
The energy transition will also require mobilizing private finance and investments at scale. Policies and measures should encourage, direct, and regulate private finance and investments to meet renewable energy requirements, especially in the industrial and commercial sectors.
Renewable energy – which will be less costly than fossil fuels and come with many social and environmental co-benefits – has tremendous economic advantages and benefits. However, the development and operations of renewable energy systems should not be primarily shaped and driven by profitability and high returns on investment.
Private financing and investments in renewable energy systems should be regulated comprehensively and effectively to ensure alignment with the provision of affordable and sufficient electricity, country ownership, fairness in contracts, transparency, accountability, and effectiveness in achieving intended outcomes. Regulation should also ensure compliance with robust social, environmental, gender labor and human rights principles and safeguards, Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), democratic consultations, community engagement, benefits-sharing, assessment of corruption risks, and corresponding policies to address those risks.
Public funds may be used to leverage or incentivize private investments. However, they should primarily be used to support community-based and managed initiatives, micro-small- medium-scale enterprises, renewable energy deployment to underserved areas, and delivering social, development, and environmental outcomes. Leveraging policies and instruments should involve careful and rigorous assessment of potential public revenue losses and opportunity costs (e.g., fewer funds for other public spending priorities). Unconditional public or sovereign guarantees should not be extended to private borrowing and liabilities.
International Finance Flows
Financing for renewable energy systems and urgent climate actions must not deepen the problem of public debt in the Global South. Public loans for renewable energy systems should be primarily for public utility-scale projects, grid development, and supporting community energy projects. These loans should be on highly concessional terms and should be accompanied by clear plans for raising repayment. Public loans should not be used to provide public guarantees for returns on private investments or public assumption of private risks.
Financing of renewable energy systems must also not exacerbate or deepen the net financial outflows from the South to the North. The current net financial outflow from the South to the North is nearly a staggering 2 trillion USD per year, dwarfing the flows of international aid and climate finance. These flows have also left countries in the Global South with deepening poverty and inequalities, as well as extreme vulnerability to external shocks – whether economic, financial, or climate-related.
Trillions of dollars are needed for the rapid, equitable, and just transition to 100% renewable energy systems.
10. Effectively Addressing Issues with Specific Renewable Energy Technologies and Modalities; Rejecting False Solutions
Land, forest, water, Nuclear power, large-scale production of biofuels in monocultures and agrofuels, waste incineration, and geoengineering are considered by many to be false solutions. marine policies should ensure the protection of critical habitats, wildlife corridors, and biodiversity hotspots.
All renewable energy technologies have social and environmental risks and impacts. This principle is about effectively addressing pressing issues associated with specific types of energy technologies and modalities through
- Thorough impact assessments,
- Application of robust standards and safeguards,
- Appropriate and careful design and planning,
- Strict and transparent monitoring and regulatory systems,
- Strong accountability mechanisms,
- And democratic decision-making.
Large-Scale Solar and Wind Projects
Solar and wind energy are vital renewable energy technologies that have been shown to have lower social and environmental risks and are less resource-intensive than other renewables. However, large-scale solar and wind projects that produce 5 MW of energy or greater come with specific risks that must be more closely evaluated and addressed.
Large wind and solar projects require huge tracts of land or water and may compete with other essential land uses, such as staple food production. Cases have been reported where solar projects have exploited rural land resources to supply power to distant urban areas, and host communities have borne adverse impacts such as losing their livelihoods, receiving inadequate compensation, and experiencing continuous energy scarcity. Using large tracts of land for solar projects may interfere with traditional ways of life, such as those of tribes or nomadic peoples in the desert.
Authorities must prevent questionable or extra-legal land acquisition mechanisms. Governments should ensure that wind and solar installations are not permitted in animal migratory routes, in Ramsar-protected sites, or in other areas of natural conservation. This can be done by ensuring alignment and coherence of legislation across local, provincial, national and international levels.
Sites that will not impact agriculture or food, such as canals, barren fallow land, and former mining areas that cannot be restored, should be explored for solar and wind development. Solar and wind projects must not encroach on traditional and exclusive fishing zones or displace coastal communities. Solar panel prices should be regulated so they remain affordable for individual consumers. Environmental standards, safeguards, and regulatory mechanisms must not be bypassed to fast-track the building of renewable energy systems. Examples of such regulations include the proper distance between windmills or wind farms and population centers, proper procedures on waste disposal, and recycling of solar panels and other potentially hazardous equipment.
Dams and Hydro Projects
The environmental and social concerns associated with dams have already been documented and acknowledged widely. Mega and large hydropower projects displace communities, involve deforestation, modify upstream and downstream water flows, disrupt natural habitats, hinder community access to fresh water, and result in biodiversity loss. There are also harmful aggregated impacts of many small hydro projects concentrated on the same river systems. Energy projections from hydropower are likely to be inaccurate due to climate change impacts on water systems and deforestation – the increased intensity and frequency of extreme events, such as droughts and floods, has raised questions about the reliability of hydropower, and deforestation skews estimates of projected output.
New hydropower projects should be considered only in highly exceptional cases, and under no circumstances should mega and large dams be considered. These highly exceptional cases must be subject to robust social and environmental impact assessments and strict regulations. In cross-border projects, joint assessments should be carried out. Adequate and legally binding safeguards, standards, and policies should be implemented by and upon all parties involved. People affected by hydropower projects are entitled to improved livelihoods and quality of life as beneficiaries of such projects. Benefit-sharing mechanisms must be mutually agreed upon and legally protected to ensure implementation. The decommissioning of dams must also be subject to safeguards without leaving any social and environmental liabilities.
Geothermal Power Plants
Geothermal energy is among the sources classified as renewable, but many communities and movements reject geothermal energy due to its environmental and social impacts. The amount of land needed for geothermal sites can be vast and may involve the displacement of local communities. There is also the risk of communities being deprived of water resources due to water extraction for drilling. Geothermal plants can release pollution through the water pumped from underground reservoirs. Pumped water often includes high levels of sulfur, salt, and other minerals. Air emissions include hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, methane, boron, and mercury – all are health hazards depending on concentration levels. Hydrogen sulfide changes to sulfur dioxide (SO2) in the air, which can cause heart and lung disease and acid rain that damages crops, forests, and soils, as well as acidifies lakes and streams. The impacts of geothermal plants on agricultural land include harvest delays or crop failure due to lack of water and pollution. Geothermal plants are often built on “hotspots” with naturally high levels of earthquake risk. Geothermal wells’ drilling and testing processes may increase the risk of earthquakes. Sensitive ecological areas such as forests, volcanoes, and small islands are also often chosen as sites for geothermal plants.
Geothermal projects should be considered only in highly exceptional cases. “No-go zones” should be established where geothermal projects should not be built. Locations with a high risk for negative socio-environmental consequences and earthquakes should be explicitly excluded from viable sites for geothermal projects. These include areas near communities or dense population centers, ecologically sensitive areas, forested areas, and volatile locations for seismic activity. The projects must be subject to robust and transparent social and environmental impact studies and adhere to legally enforceable socio-environmental standards, safeguards, and policies. Projects must employ appropriate technologies and follow standards for international pollution, safety, waste management, and more. Closed-loop geothermal systems, where water and gases are reinjected into the reservoir/ground/aquifer, should be preferred over open-loop systems to limit water contamination and air emissions. However, caution should be used as high-pressure reinjection of water into the earth can trigger earthquakes and contamination of groundwater/aquifers. Authorities must plan for and mitigate earthquake risk. They should closely monitor seismic activity around geothermal plants, adjusting operations in the event of tiny tremors and halting operations if they escalate beyond a certain prescribed threshold.
Rejecting False Solutions
Finally, rejecting false energy solutions – energy technologies and projects deceptively being promoted as clean energy alternatives – is essential to prevent associated social and environmental harms, greenwashing, fossil fuel phase-out delays, and derailing progress towards 100% renewable energy systems. Nuclear power, large-scale production of biofuels in monocultures and agrofuels, waste incineration, and geoengineering are considered by many to be false solutions.
- Provided for in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the ILO Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples
↩︎ - Provided for in the Convention on the Rights of the Child
↩︎ - Onsite restoration and rehabilitation measures are different from “biodiversity offsetting” mechanisms where restoration or rehabilitation is done elsewhere and credits are earned to offset the destruction done at the project site. Many movements and community groups are actively opposing these offset mechanisms.
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