Australia is making good progress toward a clean and affordable energy future, but we must plan and build renewable projects in places that work for people and nature. Poorly located renewable projects risk damaging the places and wildlife we love and eroding public trust in the energy shift we need.
Working with leading experts from the University of Melbourne, this groundbreaking report puts nature at the heart of renewable energy development by mapping where renewables can be built with minimal impact on Australia’s threatened plants and animals.
Working with the experts ACF has highlighted three case studies: Gippsland Victoria, Central West Orana in New South Wales and the Banana Shire in Central Queensland to show the benefits renewables can deliver for regional Australians while protecting threatened plants and animals.
A map of the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone showing the best locations for wind and biodiversity - read the report for more!
Here is what we found:
- Most threatened plants and animals live close together. This makes it easier to plan around them.
- We can protect threatened species and still have an abundance of land where we can value add with renewables — delivering clean, affordable energy and a huge economic boost to regional Australians.
- By avoiding 30% of land most needed by at risk plants and animals we can safeguard up to 90% of the highest value habitat for these threatened species.
Here is how the community benefits:
- Setting aside these valuable natural areas would result in huge cost savings from faster planning approvals and stronger community support.
- This would boost productivity, grow jobs and speed up the shift to a clean, affordable, renewable future.
What now and who has the power to act?
The Albanese Government must deliver on their promise to fix broken environment laws to better protect nature. Fixing broken laws and investing in smart mapping and planning will unlock faster project assessments and decisions.
Industry needs to invest in smart mapping to make sure their projects and operations are contributing to a world where people and nature thrive. A good place to start is with strong nature protection and restoration goals aligned with Australia’s 30 by 30 target and the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Communities can bring their lived experience and knowledge to the table, show support for projects in the right places and call out and correct harmful misinformation.
With smart mapping, strong nature laws, industry action and community leadership we can build renewables in the right places, for a future that is good for people and nature.