Abstract
Aims of the Guidance
For most countries, the transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy as part of the energy transition will not focus on a single type of energy source or technology. It will inevitably involve a balance of different renewable sources and will, at least for the foreseeable future, continue to derive energy from non-renewable sources (fossil fuels) to meet a significant proportion of energy demand and ensure energy security, especially given continued population growth, rising energy demand, and geopolitical uncertainties. Therefore, this mix is likely to be reflected in national and sub-national energy strategies, policies, and plans for some years to come.
The energy transition process will not be easy and will not be completed in the next few years, more likely over the coming decades, despite the fact that the pace of renewables development is accelerating as countries seek to meet their climate obligations in line with the Paris Agreement.
This guidance addresses the application of SEA to the energy transition, notably the early retirement of coal-fired power plants, changes to intermediary coal-based supply chains, and associated closure of coal mines, and the development of the renewable energy sector and associated energy sector restructuring. Currently, the guidance covers the following renewable energy types: hydropower, wind, solar, bioenergy, geothermal energy, tidal energy, and green hydrogen and ammonia. Other types (e.g., nuclear) may be added in the next version of the guidance along with the transition from liquid or gas fossil fuels. The guidance is, therefore, primarily concerned with the supply side of energy.
Some chapters focus on the “why and how” of SEA (aims, roles, stages, tasks), while others address coal mining and power generation and various renewable energy technologies. The latter chapters discuss the main technologies in use and the key environmental and socioeconomic issues associated with them. SEAs for the energy transition will need to address such issues and provide direction for project-level EIAs (for projects concerned with coal closure and renewable energy development) about the issues that will need to be considered.
Many of the environmental and socioeconomic issues discussed in Chapters 5-12 will appear to be at a project level. This is because most of our knowledge of these issues is derived from experience implementing energy generation activities around the world, both for fossil fuel and renewable energy developments and projects. These are the very issues likely to be identified during scoping for an SEA (see Chapter 2, Section 2.5), either because stakeholders are familiar with them or, often, because they have been directly affected by them. It is important to understand these issues because they may give rise to cumulative impacts from multiple projects when a PPP is implemented, and a critical role of SEA is to identify the potential and risk of cumulative impacts arising. Furthermore, these are the issues that may require to be addressed by changes to existing laws, regulations, or PPPs, and this is a matter on which an SEA should make recommendations.
This guidance is “high-level” and does not go into detail about the options and opportunities for mitigation measures to avoid or minimize/reduce negative impacts, or to offset and compensate for them, or to restore/rehabilitate land at the end of a project, or about how to enhance positive impacts. That is one of the functions of individual project EIAs.
There are many generalized SEA guidelines published by governments and organizations. A survey of existing guidelines undertaken during Phase A of this initiative identified 142 guidelines, available at: www.iaia.org/pdf/hot-topics/Inventory-of-SEA-guidelines.pdf. The number of such guidelines can be expected to increase in the future to meet the demands of the energy transition across the globe. Some of these address individual renewable energy sub-sectors (e.g., hydropower, wind), but none are currently available that cover the entire renewable energy field or the energy transition.
This guidance fills this critical gap and aims to promote sustainability in the energy transition to renewable sources. It particularly aims to promote a common approach and best practice based on internationally accepted principles and good practices for SEA. The key target groups for the guidance include:
- SEA practitioners/professionals tasked with preparing an SEA for either (i) a PPP process under the responsibilities of an energy department (energy sector planning) or (ii) a multi-sector PPP process in which the energy department has to play its role (e.g., spatial planning or regional development planning);
- Government ministries, departments, and agencies, particularly those responsible for energy planning and development and environment agencies responsible for national SEA systems and regulations;
- International organizations focused on renewable energy development;
- Financing organizations (including multilateral development banks and bilateral donors) that support the transition to renewable energy and which require due diligence to be carried out and environmental and social safeguards to be complied for both private and public sector investments in renewables;
- Sector organizations that advocate for a specific renewable energy technology;
- UN and other international organizations that promote the transition to renewable energy and which provide advice and support to governments;
- NGOs and CSOs with an interest or mandate covering renewable energy;
- Private sector energy companies and renewable energy developers with interest in moving to the use of renewable energy or securing their projects and minimizing planning-related risks. The guidance sets out the key environmental and socioeconomic issues likely to arise when developing various renewable energy options. These issues will need to be addressed in the development and operation of facilities in relation to overarching policies, plans, and programs for renewable energy development;
- Researchers and academics working in the field of renewable energy and to students studying impact assessment, climate change, and the energy transition in its many forms;
- Other stakeholders with an interest in or likely to be affected by the energy transition to renewable energy.