Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development

Abstract

As the contradiction between human development and environmental maintenance is increasingly prominent, sustainability has become a significantly important goal for future development. The renewable energy plays an essential role in the achievement of sustainable development, since it is relatively cleaner comparing with fossil fuels. The renewable energy has the advantages that it has fewer negative impacts on the environment than fossil fuels, so it is beneficial in improving the environment, increasing the diversity of fuels, ensuring stable energy supply, and promoting regional economic development. To improve the sustainability and development of renewable energy, countries worldwide set up goals and implemented relative regulations and policies. This keynote paper firstly introduced sustainable development; subsequently, summarized the roles of renewable energy on sustainable development; then, had an overview of the achievements on sustainable development and renewable energy; after this, investigated the barriers and in sighted; and concluded this paper. The results reveal that there is still a far way to go before all Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) will be finally achieved although many progresses of sustainability and renewable energy development in technological, economic, environmental and social aspects have been made during the past 20 years with the efforts of all countries.