Reconnect Green and Blue Highways of Nature Flows

Abstract

Renewable energy is beneficial to human life. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, renewable energy provides not only environmental benefits but also societal advantages, namely lower carbon emissions/ reducing air pollution and employment. However, these systems require a substantial scale of infrastructures which take up large areas of land. In addition, developing such infrastructures can cause biodiversity loss and ecosystem change such as habitat loss/change, pollution, overexploitation, climate change and ntroduction of invasive species (Gasparatos et al., 2017). The negative effects of the energy infrastructures can be triggered by almost every renewable energy pathway. Hence, we need to consider the true ‘sustainable’ ways of the renewable energy landscape.

Rotterdam aims to be a carbon-neutral city by reducing 95% of CO2 emissions, and therefore the city introduces various renewable energy systems. In particular, Waalhaven has been a hotspot of many industries regarding renewable energy systems due to its geographical and industrial values. Waalhaven is in a transitional stage of actively altering energy production ways to make the system more sustainable. However, the port area has eight endangered species which are registered in the red list of The International Union for Conservation of Nature. In this regard, one may note that Waalhaven’s plant could produce threats to the current ecosystem.

Based on the above findings, this thesis suggests a spatial framework for a renewable energy landscape that can (1) strengthen the ecosystem, (2) bring robust biodiversity, and (3) provide sustainable energy production methods through utilising local resources. Other cities sharing similar environmental conditions and societal issues may also consider adopting this framework to resolve the problems. The final outcomes and goals present a vision for improving the environment and energy circularity in Waalhaven. The project describes a series of spatial interventions and detailed methods for integrating biodiversity and energy infrastructure and further introduces a scenario to build resilient planning for both human/non-human stakeholders.