India, Dec. 23 -- Growing emphasis on renewable energy could be an "underlying driver of intensified deforestation", according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications on December 21, 2025.

Results indicated that between 2001 and 2012, 66.20 per cent of deforestation in mining areas occurred in regions where minerals were extracted, which could potentially be used for renewable energy production.

After 2012, a higher percentage of deforestation (74.88 per cent) was observed in mines targeting minerals required for renewable energy production, compared to those for non-renewable energy production (25.11 per cent). For instance, the mining of nickel-used in batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems-often ...