concept

state environmental agencies

Also known as: state-level environmental management agencies, state environmental agency

Facts (10)

Sources

Practitioners' perceived risks to biodiversity from renewable energy ... nature.com Nature Feb 27, 2025 10 facts

claimMost NGO-affiliated respondents indicate neutral impacts of solar energy on plants and animals, while state environmental agency respondents view these impacts as negative.

claimState environmental agency practitioners perceived greater impacts on plants and future ecosystems from solar energy (0.17 and 0.60, respectively), reflecting their view of solar energy development as a substitute for fossil fuel extraction.

claimPractitioners from research institutes and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are more likely to express neutral perceptions regarding Large-Scale Wind and Solar (LSWS) impacts compared to state environmental agency practitioners, indicating a more optimistic outlook that may facilitate project support.

measurementAgreement among practitioners that biodiversity impacts from urban growth will surpass those from wind development ranged from 85% among NGO practitioners to full consensus among state environmental agency practitioners.

claimState environmental agencies perceived equal impacts on future ecosystems from wind energy, industrial timber operations, and fossil fuel operations.

measurementSurvey respondents were primarily affiliated with non-governmental organizations (36%), university and research institutes (26%), and state-level environmental management agencies (17%).

claimThe speed and success of deploying Large-Scale Wind and Solar (LSWS) projects may depend on whether state environmental agency practitioners believe those projects comply with environmental regulations, particularly in areas with high biodiversity significance.

measurementThe majority of respondents from NGOs, research institutes, and state environmental agencies viewed projected urban development as a greater threat to biodiversity than solar energy (range 62–93%).

measurementPractitioners from NGOs perceived the least negative impacts from solar energy development (range -0.52 to -0.93), while practitioners from state environmental agencies perceived the greatest impacts (range -0.86 to 0.60).

measurementPractitioners from state environmental agencies and research institutes viewed slightly fewer impacts from solar energy than from industrial timber operations on current ecosystems (range -0.20 to -0.11).