Land conservation and large-scale renewable energy systems are simultaneously possible in Brazil

Abstract

Brazil is especially relevant for tackling climate change while halting biodiversity loss due to its extensive areas of ecological significance, such as the Amazon rainforest. Addressing the issue between land-use demand for renewable energy development and protection of conservation land is key to aligning climate and conservation goals. However, the country’s potential to achieve deep decarbonization through rapid renewable energy expansion while preserving conservation land remains underexplored. Here, we leverage a spatially explicit model through integrated, high-resolution sector coupling of Brazil’s energy systems and find that doubling biofuel use by 2050 demands substantial land, primarily from degraded pastures. Strategic coordination of wind, solar, and biofuels can achieve deep decarbonization, cutting CO₂emissions by 40%–91% while minimizing land competition and increasing system costs by less than 4%. Protecting these lands also facilitates reforestation, potentially sequestering an additional 15.43 Gt of carbon, demonstrating a viable synergy between climate mitigation and ecological integrity.