Exploring sustainable development interactions through the lens of renewable energy consumption

Abstract

Renewable energy is vital in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, research indicates both positive and negative interactions with other goals. Defining sustainable development within the theoretical framework known as the sustainable development space (Holden, Linnerud, Banister, Schwanitz, & Wierling, 2018), we analyzed empirical data from 133 countries using cluster analysis. This approach categorizes nations based on their renewable energy share and the framework's six indicators for sustainable development. From the resulting clusters, we examined and categorised the interactions between sustainable development and renewable energy at different levels of the sustainable development space: needs, justice, and limits. We focused particularly on the indicators related to the limits, which encompass two critical themes: the role of renewable energy as both a solution for greenhouse gas emissions and a threat to biosphere integrity. The findings reveal several interactions: First, a trade-off exists between renewable energy shares and sustainable development. Second, in affluent countries a synergy is identified between renewable energy shares and sustainable development. Third, there is a neutral interaction between renewable energy shares and biodiversity intactness. Fourth, although high renewable energy shares in wealthy nations contribute positively to sustainability, none of these countries meet the threshold for greenhouse gas emissions per capita.