Open Access

Stephan Bosch, Dominik Kienmoser

• With the Paris Agreement, it was decided to limit global warming to below two degrees. Hence, national governments are currently confronted with the challenge of implementing concrete climate protection measures. This poses a major challenge especially for Germany, as the phase-out of low-emission nuclear energy additionally increases the pressure to rapidly promote the expansion of renewable energies. Unfortunately, there is a great variety of potential regional energy strategies, which differ considerably in terms of landscape implications. Therefore, we analysed the spatial restructuring of energy supply and the associated social conflicts. To do so, we modelled potential regional energy landscapes that can be derived from the two-degree target and visualised them based on Geographical Information Systems by using five scenarios involving changes to the planning guidelines. The analyses reveal that the development of a carbon-neutral energy system is possible. Yet the potentialWith the Paris Agreement, it was decided to limit global warming to below two degrees. Hence, national governments are currently confronted with the challenge of implementing concrete climate protection measures. This poses a major challenge especially for Germany, as the phase-out of low-emission nuclear energy additionally increases the pressure to rapidly promote the expansion of renewable energies. Unfortunately, there is a great variety of potential regional energy strategies, which differ considerably in terms of landscape implications. Therefore, we analysed the spatial restructuring of energy supply and the associated social conflicts. To do so, we modelled potential regional energy landscapes that can be derived from the two-degree target and visualised them based on Geographical Information Systems by using five scenarios involving changes to the planning guidelines. The analyses reveal that the development of a carbon-neutral energy system is possible. Yet the potential spatial patterns of renewable energies differ considerably. Furthermore, it becomes obvious that spatial planning must take greater account of the perspectives of those social groups facing the installation of renewable energies in the very vicinity of their own living environment.…