 The climate crisis is this century's biggest challenge. Renewable energy is considered to be one of the crucial solutions to respond to it, and it is. However, there might be a few things we're missing. Many low-carbon development projects often create unintended and serious impacts on local communities and their environments, sometimes even offsetting the benefits. Our research project studied both small and large-scale renewable energy projects in East Africa to understand the link between these unintended consequences and conflict dynamics. For example, a wind farm being built in a remote area intends to give people access to electricity, but renewable energy solutions often impact people beyond energy supply, which can be problematic for many reasons. Such energy projects can limit access to land and water, and that can create problems around local farming and food security, increasing competition over jobs and causing tensions between communities and project developers. How are those intersections being missed? There isn't just one simple answer. In our project, we tried to untangle the complexity by looking at short and long-term outcomes. Environmental and socio-economic impacts are not always immediately visible, and they can have a compounding effect over time, potentially creating a downward spiral for the communities involved. But a siloed response is not enough. A more systematic approach is needed. We need to expand the scope of expertise and also include local perspectives so we can engage and understand the complexity of the situation more effectively. Transitioning to renewable energy is key to everybody's future, and if it's done well, such projects can create an upward spiral and lead communities to greater stability and towards a more sustainable future. Are you working in the low-carbon development space? We have created analytical tools to better assess and support the design of renewable energy projects. So let's work together to drive the development spiral in the right direction. Go to our website or contact us directly for more information.