There is enough land in Europe for wholly renewable energy without compromising nature protection or food production.
Renewable-energy projects can occasion local flashpoints and how policy-makers select their location is critical. Yet one thing is clear: Europe has ample land to expand renewables, preserve nature and grow food. A recent briefing from the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) shows that enough is available, primarily in rural areas, without impinging on agricultural terrain.
The Joint Research Centre estimates that 5.2 per cent of land in the European Union is ideally suited for accelerated renewables deployment, excluding natural protected areas and high-value agricultural lands. Yet the EEB’s latest report finds that only 2.2 per cent of the EU’s land area would be…
