Green favela fights to live sustainably in Brazil | AFP

While the pressures of climate change bring a sense of urgency to renewable energy development, a new study serves as a roadmap toward uniting the goals of a low-carbon future with that of ecological sustainability and conservation.  The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Sustainability from the University of California, Davis, and John Hopkins University, aims to help decision-makers avoid the unintended environmental consequences of renewable energy development.
The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Sustainability from the University of California, Davis, and John Hopkins University, aims to help decision-makers avoid the unintended environmental consequences of renewable energy development.

“Renewables aren’t always sustainable, but they can be if we think proactively,” said co-leading author Sarah Jordaan,

As the planet continues to warm, the twin challenges of diminishing water supply and growing energy demand will intensify. But water and energy are inextricably linked. For instance, nearly a fifth of California’s energy goes toward water-related activities, while more than a tenth of the state’s electricity comes from hydropower. As society tries to adapt to one challenge, it needs to ensure it doesn’t worsen the other.