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Study area of ‘Vision:En 2040’ The dialogue tool can be used in every municipality and town in the Hanover Region and has been used for the first time in Gehrden and Ronnenberg.
Source publication
The allocation of renewable energy plants, especially wind turbines, is stagnating in Germany. Although the citizens approve of the energy transition, they resist concrete local projects. In recent years, research has shown that interactive map applications support participatory planning through motivation, social interaction, and knowledge transfe...
Citations
... For an energy transition that is compatible with or even promotes democracy, it is necessary to involve citizens at the local level and give them ownership of decisions [15,16] on where the plants are to be located, which energy mix between wind and solar is to be chosen, and how landscape loss and the associated ecosystem services (ES), i.e., the benefits that humans derive from natural ecosystems, should be compensated [17]. The latter offset obligations of the polluters are prescribed in Germany and are increasingly being incorporated into 'no net loss' policies in other countries [18]. ...
... Calculating local energy targets also supports participatory planning. Tools like 'Vision:En 2040' [17] have shown that involving citizens in interactive simulations of RE siting can enhance understanding, reduce biases, and foster local responsibility for the energy transition. By linking energy targets with participatory tools, citizens can make informed decisions and actively contribute to achieving the set goals. ...
Background
The shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources brings substantial changes in land use. Germany, with limited land availability, needs a spatial framework to allocate renewable energy while safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services. This process should include public participation at the local level. Respective models have been developed for decision support on wind turbine allocation but methods are still lacking for solar parks. This paper aims to identify the safe operating space for solar energy supply that is inclusive and compatible with humans and nature. We propose criteria for Germany with different classes of legal legitimization to define the local decision space. The method is applied in the exemplary case of the federal state of Lower Saxony and the two municipalities—Springe and Wedemark.
Results
The results show that this decision space is sufficiently large to involve both the local public and decision-makers in determining the energy mix and siting of renewable plants. In Lower Saxony, 13% of the state's area (611.932 ha) has low spatial resistance to solar parks. With a reference plant's power density of 1.01 MW/ha, this land could generate up to 667 TWh/a, far exceeding the share needed for Lower Saxony’s contribution to Germany’s projected energy demand in 2050. This provides flexibility for regional and local stakeholders to shape their energy landscape within the bounds of downscaled national climate targets and human- and nature-compatible development. In addition, co-benefits with other extensive land-use objects, such as groundwater protection, can be provided on these sites.
Conclusions
Our findings offer valuable guidance for regional planning boards and encourage public participation in the decision-making process by providing transparent information about the spatial options and limits of solar development. The model can improve planning, since different planning levels could access and utilize the scalable data. Equal criteria at all levels increase the intersubjectivity and comprehensibility of approval decisions and thus also the legal certainty of land designations for solar parks.
... Massive technological advances, such as the quick decarbonization of the global power industry and the direct and indirect electrification of every other economic and manufacturing industry, are becoming more and more central to current scientific and policy conversa-tions (Akpan et al. [3]; Gambhir et al. [28]; Rogelj et al. [69]). The material consequences of such an evolution, such as the production of solar energy systems, wind turbines, or batteries for preservation and electric vehicles (Arkhurst et al. [4]; Bidwell et al. [9]; Cronin et al. [19]; Li et al. [51]; Nikas et al. [59]), are often overlooked in favor of other issues related to society and the economy (Capellán-Pérez et al. [14]; Thiele et al. [82]). Nevertheless, the demands related to the change may jeopardize decarbonization efforts, accelerate the removal and modification of fundamental elements (Campos and Marín-González [13]; Sovacool et al. [75], [76]), and potentially spark geopolitical tensions over vital resources (Blondeel et al. [10]; Kuzemko et al. [46]; Su et al. [79]; Vakulchuk et al. [85]). ...
This research investigates how effectively circular waste management practices can lessen climate risks (CRs) in municipalities. The study explores the connection between a circular economy (CE) approach to municipal waste (CE_MW) and eight different CR measures. Using various economic analysis methods, the researchers examined data from 27 countries between 2012 and 2022. Their findings indicate that implementing circular practices for municipal solid waste significantly reduces CRs, especially those related to activities along rivers. Furthermore, the study differentiates between the long-term and short-term impacts of CE_MW on all eight CR measures, revealing a stronger influence in the long run. Additionally, the research explores how the quality of a country’s institutions affects the effectiveness of CE_MW in mitigating CRs. The results suggest that countries with strong institutions are better equipped to reduce CRs through circular waste management practices.
In an increasingly urbanized world, urban biodiversity is people’s
primary contact with nature. However, as cities expand and densify,
urban green and blue spaces and their biodiversity are under pressure,
risking declines in urban liveability. This Review discusses the benefits
of urban biodiversity and the multiple challenges it faces, and identifies
opportunities and pathways towards developing sustainable, biodiverse
cities for both humans and nature. The substantial biological richness
that urban areas can harbour helps to mitigate environmental pressures,
address and adapt to climate change, and benefits human health and
well-being. However, urban biodiversity is challenged by competition
for space, human pressures and the declining engagement of urban
residents with nature. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of
both the benefits and challenges of urban biodiversity informs efforts
to create and maintain high-quality urban blue–green infrastructure.
Biodiversity-sensitive and socially inclusive urban governance and urban
planning are key to developing biodiverse, green cities. Urban policies
should move towards cross-sectional approaches that coordinate
planning for biodiversity and green spaces with sectors such as health,
education, urban planning and design. Developing cities as shared
environments for humans and nature contributes to global biodiversity
conservation and offers solutions to the social and environmental
challenges increasingly faced by cities.
