The guidebook “Guardrail Principles for Renewable Energy: Harmonizing Energy, Nature, and Society”, published by the Shan Shui Conservation Center based in Beijing, China, addresses the ecological and social implications of China’s expansion in global renewable energy development. As wind and solar power continue to expand rapidly, the report provides guidelines for their full life cycle, from raw material extraction, equipment manufacturing, project construction and operation, to decommissioning and recycling, in generating positive impacts on biodiversity, local communities, and ecosystems.

The industries primarily involved include wind power, solar photovoltaics and equipment manufacturing, as well as renewable energy developers, operators, and recyclers who collectively shape the sector’s sustainability outcomes. The guidebook proposes a set of “guardrail principles” to help Chinese renewable energy enterprises advancing environmental and social responsibility.

The five core contents of the Guardrail Principles are:

1. Ensuring sustainable use of natural resources such as land, forests, grasslands, wetlands, and marine areas.
2. Avoiding or mitigating harm to nature and integrating biodiversity-friendly approaches throughout the project life cycle to achieve net biodiversity gains.
3. Establishing community participation mechanisms that respect local cultures, beliefs, and traditions.
4. Enhancing responsible management of upstream supply chains to minimize biodiversity and social risks from raw material extraction.
5. Developing decommissioning and biodiversity restoration standards to ensure ecological recovery.