Bioenergy and Climate Change

Global land outlook working paper: energy and land use

This Global Land Outlook working paper is one of a series that aims to synthesize and compile knowledge, focus on the land-energy nexus (i.e., taking into account food and water) and provide data, contexts, and ...

Sep 2017
Global land outlook

Land, literally the ground beneath our feet, is a finite resource composed of soil, water, minerals, plants, and animals. It is an essential part of our life support system and the key building block of ...

Sep 2017
Building Competitive Green Industries: the climate and clean technology opportunity for developing countries

Climate change will have its largest impacts on developing countries, with poor populations particularly hard hit and unable to adequately adapt. There are ongoing efforts to assist developing countries with efforts to mitigate and adapt ...

Sep 2014
How bioenergy can help local communities adapt to climate change: lessons from Nyanza Province, Kenya

Adaptation to climate change is one of the most important issues facing Kenya today. Rural Kenyans’ livelihoods are already affected by a changing climate, with increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns, a 1°C average temperature rise, and ...

Apr 2013
Assessment report from the GCEP workshop on energy supply with negative carbon emissions

As part of its assessment towards energy technologies that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, The Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP) held a workshop at Stanford University on June 15, 2012, on the topic of ...

Mar 2013
Bioenergy, land use change and climate change mitigation

The sustainable use of bioenergy presents a major opportunity to address climate change by reducing fossil CO2 emissions. Practically all bioenergy systems deliver large greenhouse gas savings if they replace fossil-based energy causing high greenhouse ...

Dec 2012
Food security and climate change

Third report of the Committee on World Food Security's (CFS) High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE), focusing on the effects of climate change on food security11 and nutrition, with a ...

Jun 2012
Good environmental practices in bioenergy feedstock production

Building on FAO’s work on good practices in agriculture and forestry, the BEFSCI project has compiled a set of good environmental practices that can be implemented by bioenergy feedstock producers in order to minimize the ...

Mar 2012
Bioenergy’s potential for rural development and poverty alleviation

Most of the world’s poor dwell in rural communities with limited or no access to modern energy services. It is widely acknowledged that the majority of people in developing countries depend on ‘traditional biomass’. The ...

Nov 2011
Using a LCA approach to estimate the net GHG emissions of bioenergy

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a powerful tool that may be used to quantify the environmental impacts of products and services. It includes all processes, from cradle-to-grave, along the supply chain of the product. When ...

Oct 2011
Indirect effects of biofuel production. Overview prepared for GBEP

This report was prepared to provide input to discussion on the indirect effects of biofuel production and consumption in the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) Its aim is to provide an up-to-date insight into the science ...

May 2011
What woodfuels can do to mitigate climate change

Wood is society’s oldest source of energy. Its use for cooking and heating remains vital to the daily energy needs of over two billion people in developing countries. It is also a “new” energy source ...

Nov 2010
Impacts of liquid biofuels on ecosystem services and biodiversity

Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems. Biofuels can provide a number of ecosystem services (e.g. fuel, climate regulation) but also compromise other ecosystem services (e.g. food, freshwater services) and biodiversity which are ...

Nov 2010
A causal descriptive approach to modelling indirect land use change impacts of biofuels

The Department commissioned E4Tech to study the Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) impacts of the five biofuels expected to form the main supply of biofuel in the UK in the next ten years: palm, soy ...

Oct 2010
Land use change: science and policy review

Biofuels feedstocks are highly diverse in their input requirements, alternative uses and climatic requirements and are grown in many different contexts globally. LCAs of different biofuel crops reveal large differences in yields, climatic requirements, energy ...

Oct 2010
The “iLUC Factor” as a means to hedge risks of GHG emissions from indirect land use change

The use of biomass for energy production is rising globally in parallel to increasing oil prices, and concerns about energy security, and climate change. Many countries recognize biomass as a domestic energy resource, and some ...

Sep 2010
Biofuels: a new methodology to estimate GHG emissions from global land use change - A methodology involving spatial allocation of agricultural land demand and estimation of CO2 and N2O emissions

This study implements a new methodology developed by the JRC IES and IE for estimating changes in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soil and above- and below-ground biomass resulting from global land use changes caused ...

Sep 2010
Climate change and food security in China – Executive summary

The increasing demand for food and bio-fuel and the decrease in both crop yield and storage around the globe due to natural disasters, has caused global food prices to shoot up. Climate change may further ...

Aug 2010
Indirect Land Use Change from increased biofuels demand - Comparison of models and results for marginal biofuels production from different feedstocks

This study compares the ILUC results produced by different economic models for marginal increases in biofuel production from different feedstocks. The work is the result of a survey of marginal calculations launched by the JRC-IE ...

Aug 2010
Modeling the global trade and environmental impacts of biofuel policies

There is rising skepticism about the potential positive environmental impacts of first generation biofuels. Growing biofuel crops could induce diversion of other crops dedicated to food and feed needs. The relocation of production could increase ...

Aug 2010
Algae-based biofuels: applications and co-products

The possible competition for land makes it impossible to produce enough first generation biofuel to offset a large percentage of the total fuel consumption for transportation. As opposed to land-based biofuels produced from agricultural feedstocks, ...

Jul 2010
The impact of land use change on greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels and bioliquids - Literature review

The Renewable Energy Directive (as far as biofuels and bioliquids are concerned) and the Fuel Quality Directive (as far as biofuels are concerned) require the Commission to submit to Parliament and Council a report with ...

Jul 2010
Feasibility Study. Rural household biogas & conservation tillage CDM project development

Agriculture is one of the major anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gas emissions in China particularly through CH4 (methane) and N2O (nitrous oxide)emissions as well as loss of soil carbon stores. However, mitigation programmes in China ...

Jul 2010
Biofuels - Markets, targets and impacts

This paper reviews recent developments in biofuel markets and their economic, social and environmental impacts. Several countries have introduced mandates and targets for biofuel expansion. Production, international trade and investment have increased sharply in the ...

Jul 2010
Biofuels: indirect land use change and climate impact

Biofuels displace fossil fuels, mainly oil, in the transport sector. Although biofuels have roughly the same tailpipe carbon emissions as fossil fuels, this carbon was previously absorbed from the atmosphere when the biofuel feedstock was ...

Jun 2010
Biofuels: indirect land use change and climate impact

The present report focuses on net GHG emission reduction in the transport sector.The EU RED biofuels target for 2020 is to have 10% of fuel demand in EU road transport covered by biofuels. This translates ...

Jun 2010
The upfront carbon debt of bioenergy

This report summarizes the future scenarios of bioenergy demand by 2020 and the potential bioenergy production, taking into account different fuel mixes. It discusses and gives guidance to assess the real carbon neutrality (CN) of ...

May 2010
The Hartwell Paper - A new direction for climate policy after the crash of 2009

This paper arises from a meeting convened by the LSE in February 2010 to consider the implications of developments in climate policy in late 2009. The Hartwell meeting was a private meeting, held under the ...

May 2010
The upfront carbon debt of bioenergy

In the current climate change policy framework, the use of biomass for energy is considered a carbon neutral source. It is claimed that all the emissions produced by biomass burning are re-absorbed when it re-grows ...

May 2010
Energy for a sustainable future - Summary report and recommendations

At the global level, the energy system – supply, transformation, delivery and use – is the dominant contributor to climate change, representing around 60 per cent of total current greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Current patterns ...

Apr 2010
Strategic framework for supporting climate change action in Latin America and the Caribbean (Climate Change Strategy profile)

The IDB is developing a Climate Change Strategy (CCS) to be submitted for approval bythe Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB’s) Executive Board in 2010. The objective of the CCS is to serve as a guiding instrument ...

Mar 2010
Algae – The future for bioenergy?

This publication provides the summary and conclusions from the workshop ‘Algae – The Future for Bioenergy?’ held in conjunction with the meeting of the Executive Committee of IEA Bioenergy in Liege, Belgium on 1 October ...

Mar 2010
Life cycle analyses applied to first generation biofuels used in France

Aside from questions of economics (tensions on agricultural markets) and ethical issues (good agricultural resource use), biofuels are accused of not delivering the advantageous balances imputed to them early on, in terms of reducing greenhouse ...

Feb 2010
Carbon finance possibilities for agriculture, forestry and other land use projects in a smallholder context

This document is intended to guide extension service advisors and institutions who work with small‐scale farmers and foresters with an interest in Carbon Finance and Carbon Projects. Its aim is to support setting‐up carbon projects ...

Feb 2010
Year one of the RTFO

This is the Renewable Fuels Agency’s first Annual Report to Parliament on the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, covering the period 15 April 2008 – 14 April 2009, as required under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations ...

Jan 2010
Sustainable production of second-generation biofuels - Potential and perspectives in major economies and developing countries

This study first discusses the global status quo of second-generation biofuels and their potential role in the future energy supply. Next, the study identifies global drivers for the development of this new industry and their ...

Jan 2010
Agrofuels, Brazil and conflicting land uses

Biomass energy only accounts for a small share of global energy use, 10 percent. Most of this is used as fire wood and charcoal. The part of the biomass that is set aside for liquid ...

Dec 2009
Technology action plan: Bioenergy - Report to the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate

Bioenergy includes any kind of chemical energy accumulated through photosynthetic processes in organic plant matter (i.e., biomass). Example sources of bioenergy include dedicated energy crops (short rotation wood, perennial grasses), agricultural and forestry products and ...

Dec 2009
The biofuels market: current situation and alternative scenarios

A forward-looking vision should focus on the instruments and preconditions that would make biofuels a win-win solution for the environment and for rural development, while contributing to expand the supply of sustainable transportation fuels.The intent ...

Dec 2009
Methodology and evidence base on the indirect greenhouse gas effects of using wastes, residues, and by-products for biofuels and bioenergy

The research presented in this report has been commissioned by the Renewable Fuels Agency and the Department for Energy and Climate Change in order to develop a methodology for quantifying the indirect greenhouse gas impacts ...

Nov 2009
Navigating bioenergy - Contributing to informed decision making on bioenergy issues

Bioenergy has become one of the most dynamic and rapidly changing sectors of the global energy economy. Accelerated growth in the production and use of bioenergy in the past few years is attracting interest from ...

Nov 2009
Mitigating climate change in the global transport sector

The paper was prepared by The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA), as a position paper on what it was discussed in  the COP15 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. ...

Nov 2009
Livestock and climate change: what if the key actors in climate change are... cows, pigs, and chickens?

The environmental impact of the lifecycle and supply chain of animals raised for food has been vastly underestimated, and in fact accounts for at least half of all human-caused greenhouse gases (GHGs), according to Robert ...

Nov 2009
Energy needs and efficiency, not emissions: re-framing the climate change narrative

The basic narrative on climate change between the rich and poor worlds has been problematic. The focus on emissions has made industrial countries inadequately sensitive to the unmet energy needs in developing countries. And it ...

Nov 2009
Towards sustainable production and use of resources: assessing biofuels

Biofuels have received much attention from decision-makers in government and industry, and of the wider public world-wide. As the number of publications devoted to this renewable source of energy is expanding rapidly, it has become ...

Oct 2009
Summary of approaches to account for and monitor indirect impacts of biofuel production

This study has four elements regarding the indirect impacts of biofuel production:1 A review of quantification initiatives of indirect impacts of biofuel production.2 A review of mitigation initiatives of indirect impacts of biofuel production.3 A ...

Oct 2009
The cost to developing countries of adapting to climate change. New methods and estimates. The global report of the economics of adaptation to climate change study. - Executive summary - Consultative draft

Even with global emissions of greenhouse gases drastically reduced in the coming years, the global annual average temperature is expected to be 2°C above pre-industrial levels by 2050. A 2°C warmer world will experience more ...

Oct 2009
The RSB GHG accounting scheme. Feasibility of a meta-methodology and way forward

The principal objective of this report is to discuss the feasibility of a meta‐methodology that would be compatible with existing regulatory approaches to account for lifecycle GHG emissions of biofuels. A systematic study of the ...

Oct 2009
Industrial biotechnology - More than green fuel in a dirty economy? - Exploring the transformational potential of industrial biotechnology on the way to a green economy

This report concludes that the full climate change mitigation potential of industrial biotechnology ranges between 1 billion and 2.5 billion tCO2e per year by 2030, compared with a scenario in which no industrial biotechnology applications ...

Sep 2009
Bioenergy – The impact of indirect land use change - Summary and conclusions from the IEA Bioenergy ExCo63 Workshop

This publication provides the summary and conclusions from the workshop ‘Bioenergy – The Impact of Indirect Land Use Change’, held in conjunction with the meeting of the Executive Committee of IEA Bioenergy in Rotterdam on ...

Sep 2009
Growing pains: the possibilities and problems of biofuels

What contribution can biofuels make to a low-carbon future? And how can that contribution be made to work best for poor people?This report aims to answer these questions by analysing the impact of the current ...

Aug 2009
Greenhouse gas reduction policies and agriculture: implications for production incentives and international trade disciplines

Climate change legislation is currently being discussed in the Congress of the United States of America (USA). The extent to which agriculture will be included in the provisions is still under debate. Farm groups, concerned ...

Aug 2009
Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions due to Increased Biofuel Production

The Model Linkages Analysis peer review specifically solicited feedback on the following topics: the use of multiple models and data sources, specifically in regards to land-use impacts; use of models for each component of the ...

Jul 2009
Assessing biofuels. Toward sustainable production and use of resources

This report provides an overview of the key problems and perspectives toward sustainable production and use of biofuels. The Biofuels Working Group of the International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management aims to improve the analytical ...

Jun 2009
Agriculture and climate change: real problems, false solutions - Preliminary version of a new report on agriculture and climate change

This paper discusses some of the ways in which industrial agriculture is proposed to mitigate and promote adaptation to climate change in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).Proposals for mitigation include the agricultural ...

Jun 2009
Energy access, climate and development

The transition to a climate-constrained world is occurring at a time when nearly half of the world’s population lacks reliable access to modern energy services. Consequently, the energy transition and climate vulnerability are much more ...

May 2009
Ethanol as a fuel for road transportation

The past few years have seen a veritable explosion in the advocacy and use of bioethanol as a fuel in the industrialized world. In a remarkable way this cause, as it has almost become, seems ...

May 2009
The natural fix?: the role of ecosystems in climate mitigation - How to make agriculture carbon neutral by 2030?

This report presents a rapid assessment of current carbon capture and storage through a green economy lens, outlining the potential in terms of natural systems. The report underlines a far greater potential across a wider ...

May 2009
UNICA comments on California’s proposed Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS)

The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) is the leading trade association for the sugarcane industry in Brazil, representing nearly two thirds of all sugarcane production and processing in the country. Their 125 member companies are ...

Apr 2009
The impact of expanding biofuel production on GHG emissions - White paper #1: accessing and interpreting existing data

There is now a substantial focus on recognizing the potential for GHG emission savings from biofuels but with the publication of recent studies concern also exists about the potential emissions associated with consequential (or indirect) ...

Apr 2009
Minimising greenhouse gas emissions from biomass energy generation

This report sets out the results of analysis carried out by AEA for the Environment Agency as part of its work to support the development of a sustainable bioenergy industry in England and Wales.It assesses ...

Apr 2009
RFA Quarterly Report 3: April 2008 - January 2009

To encourage suppliers to source sustainable biofuels, the RFA requires fuel suppliers claiming Renewable Transport Fuel Certificates to submit monthly reports on the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) saving and the sustainability of the biofuels they ...

Apr 2009
Biomass: carbon sink or carbon sinner?

This report summarises the results of research carried out by AEA for the Environment Agency on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from producing and using biomass to generate electricity and heat compared with using coal and ...

Apr 2009
Greenhouse gas sequestration by algae. Energy and greenhouse gas life cycle studies - Proceedings of the 6th Australian Conference on Life Cycle Assessment

This paper assesses the greenhouse gas, costs and energy balance on a life cycle basis for algae grown in salt water ponds and used to produce biodiesel and electricity.Under the conditions described and data assumed ...

Mar 2009
An emergency package for tropical forests

The Prince’s Rainforests Project was established in 2007 to develop consensus as to how to curb tropical deforestation. This report contains a set of proposals that could form the basis for rapid and coordinated global ...

Mar 2009
Biochar for climate change mitigation: fact or fiction?

Soils are extremely diverse and dynamic, playing a fundamental role in supporting communities of plants, detritivores (which break down organic matter) and microbial communities, interacting with the atmosphere, regulating water cycles and much more. As ...

Feb 2009
An examination of the potential for improving carbon/energy balance of bioethanol – A report to the IEA Bioenergy Task 39

The energy balance and greenhouse gas emissions of biofuels remain a controversial topic in the popular press, with government policy makers, and within the academic community. Most of the discussion is based on the existing ...

Feb 2009
Bioenergy and biofuels: opportunities and constraints

It is still controversial whether biofuels, particularly first generation biofuels, deliver net GHG benefits. Policies concerning biofuel production will need to require that feedstock production practices do not create net additional emissions of GHGs directly, ...

Jan 2009
Bioenergy life-cycle analysis: beyond biofuels

The scope of this background paper for the EEA Expert meeting “Life-Cycle Assessment Methodologies for Greenhouse-Gas Emissions of bioenergy: Beyond biofuels” held in Copenhagen on June 10, 2008 is to present general issues and key ...

Dec 2008
Life cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions associated with starch-based ethanol

The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential effects of a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) on the U.S. biofuels industry and review both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s and California's proposed ...

Dec 2008
Forests in a changing climate - Will forests’ role in regulating the global climate be hindered by climate change?

There has been considerable research into the critical role that forests play in regulating climate. There is also a growing body of evidence pointing to the significant negative impacts that climate change itself is likely ...

Dec 2008
Building a low-carbon economy – The UK’s contribution to tackling climate change

Climate change resulting from CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions poses a huge threat to human welfare. To contain that threat, the world needs to cut emissions by about 50% by 2050, and to start ...

Dec 2008
REDD myths - A critical review of proposed mechanisms to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation in developing countries

However, it is important to note that deforestation was previously excluded from the Kyoto Protocol because of methodological problems and concerns about countries losing sovereignty over their natural resources. In spite of the evident enthusiasm ...

Dec 2008
Climate geo-engineering with ‘carbon negative’ bioenergy

This report represents a critical analysis of proposals for 'carbon negative' bioenergy, including biochar (agrichar) and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, as a means of reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and thus mitigating climate ...

Nov 2008
Maximising the environmental benefits of Europe's bioenergy potential

The EU is seeking to increase the use of renewable energy in order to limit climate change and enhance the security of energy supply. In 2005, renewables accounted for 6.7% of EU's gross energy consumption; ...

Nov 2008
Challenges and opportunities for mitigation in the agricultural sector

This paper provides an overview of mitigation practices for the agricultural sector, and identifies relevant policies and measures (PAMs). It addresses the relative mitigation potential of each mitigation practice presented, as well as methodological and ...

Nov 2008
Sugarcane ethanol - Contributions to climate change mitigation and the environment

The aim of this publication is to set the stage for the discussion about both challenges and concerns of sugarcane ethanol by providing the scientific context, the basic concepts and the approach for understanding the ...

Nov 2008
Taking steps: mainstreaming national adaptation

Climate change poses a massive threat to development. The poorest populations of poor countries – the Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States, and the nations of Africa – face the concentrated challenge of tackling ...

Nov 2008
Innovation in responding to climate change: nanotechnology, ocean energy and forestry

While there has been considerable debate in both academia and amongst policy makers on the role of innovation in responding to climate change, especially in relation to the post 2012 regime, there is now a ...

Nov 2008
Techno-fixes: a critical guide to climate change technologies

As the climate crisis looms, choices about solutions become ever more important. However, the debate on the future is surrounded by hype and vested interests. This briefing seeks to assess the large-scale technologies that corporations ...

Nov 2008
A sustainability analysis of the Brazilian ethanol

This is the report of the project Analysis of Environmental and Social Impacts of Bioethanol Production in Brazil, funded by UK Embassy, in Brasília, with funds of the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural ...

Nov 2008
Biofuel plantations on forested lands: double jeopardy for biodiversity and climate

Fossil fuels supply most of the energy requirements of industrialized nations, yet the greenhouse gas emissions that result threaten to seriously affect natural systems through human-induced climate change, which compromises livelihoods, global security and biodiversity. ...

Nov 2008
The State of Food and Agriculture 2008 - Biofuels: prospects, risks and opportunities

The State of Food and Agriculture 2008 explores the implications of the recent rapid growth in production of biofuels based on agricultural commodities. The boom in liquid biofuels has been largely driven by policies in ...

Oct 2008
GHG implications of land use and land conversion to biofuel crops

There are multiple reasons why biofuels are attracting global interest. A systematic assessment of the GHG mitigation potential of biofuels is required because climate change mitigation is either a primary objective or as a co-benefit ...

Oct 2008
The potential role for corn ethanol in meeting the energy needs of the United States in 2016-2030

Ethanol produced from corn starch is the most widely produced renewable liquid fuel in the U.S. production for calendar year 2007 is projected at 7.1 billion gallons, up from 4.9 billion gallons in 2006 and ...

Oct 2008
Promotion and use of biofuels in the United Kingdom during 2007

This report addresses the UK's obligation to report to the European Commission by 1 July 2008 on the effectiveness of the UK Government’s support for biofuels during the calendar year 2007, as required by Article ...

Sep 2008
The Bali action plan: key issues in the climate negotiations - Summary for policy makers

The UNDP project, “Capacity development for policy makers to address climate change” seeks to strengthen the national capacity of developing countries to assess climate change policy options across different sectors and economic activities. The project ...

Sep 2008
Life cycle assessment of environmental outcomes and greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels production in Western Australia

This study examines the full life-cycle of greenhouse gas emissions from the production of ethanol and biodiesel by undertaking a life-cycle analysis (LCA) to assess the greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental outcomes as a ...

Sep 2008
Criteria for a sustainable use of bioenergy on a global scale

The German Biokraftstoffquotengesetz, the EU Biofuel Directive and other policy making initiatives lead to promote the production and use of bioenergy, liquid biofuel for transportation in particular. Such an increase requires a reliable verification on ...

Aug 2008
The global warming and land use impact of corn ethanol produced at the Illinois River Energy Center

This study assessed the global warming impact (GWI) of ethanol produced at the Illinois River Energy ethanol plant (IRE) on a life cycle basis. IRE is located 80 miles west of Chicago. The plant currently ...

Jul 2008
Energy and greenhouse gas balance of biofuels: biases induced by LCA modelling choices

Rapid development of biofuels during last decades has induced strong concerns about possible drawbacks such as deforestation, loss of biodiversity, excessive use of water or scarce resources. in its proposal of 31st January 2007 for ...

Jul 2008
A relevant LCA methodology adapted to biomass-based products

The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology is commonly employed to assess the performances of the different uses of biomass. The range of LCA results is however very wide and prevents from having reliable and accurate ...

Jul 2008
The Gallagher review of the indirect effects of biofuels production

UK support for biofuels is based on the premise that biofuels deliver considerable net reductions in GHG emissions compared to fossil fuels. As a secondary benefit, it was hoped a growing biofuels market would create ...

Jul 2008
Review of indirect effects of biofuels - Evaluation of the drivers of land use change - Review of future demand and supply of biofuels to 2020 and their impact on GHG-emissions

A core aim of this study was to examine the indirect effects of biofuels policy, particularly UK and EU policies.The work is divided into a series of separate but connected studies. These studies examined various ...

Jun 2008
Another inconvenient truth - How biofuel policies are deepening poverty and accelerating climate change

The proponents of biofuels argue that they have the solution, or at least a part of it. Ethanol and biodiesel will allow us to continue our love affair with the internal combustion engine, while simultaneously ...

Jun 2008
Critique of Searchinger (2008) & related papers assessing indirect effects of biofuels on land-use change

Thus far life-cycle analysis (LCA) of biofuels has acknowledged but generally excluded their indirect effects on land-use change (ILUC), because of evident difficulties in their estimation and attribution.However, consequences for global land-use change of expanding ...

Jun 2008
GHG performance jatropha biodiesel

Under the RTFO and EC-proposal, obligated parties can use conservative default values as well as real values for the GHG-performance. Defaults are set conservative to stimulate parties to report actual data on their GHG-performance. Defaults ...

Jun 2008
Key elements of a global deal on climate change

The balance of scientific evidence points clearly to the need for all countries to plan credible emissions reduction policies now, if mankind is to avoid substantial risks to future generations. The impact of global warming ...

Jun 2008
Biofuels for transportation: a climate perspective

As the United States seeks to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from motor vehicles and to lessen its dependence on imported oil, biofuels are gaining increasing attention as one possible solution. This paper offers an ...

Jun 2008
Review of EU's impact assessment of 10% biofuels on land use change

This report highlights that it can not be concluded based on the Impact Assessments underlying the 10% target that a 10% biofuel target will not cause significant negative consequences resulting from land use change.Furthermore the ...

Jun 2008
Support for the review of the indirect effects of biofuels

This report summarises the information collected and submitted by North Energy Associates Ltd (North Energy) to AEA Technology plc (AEAT) in support of the review of the indirect effects of biofuels. This work was undertaken ...

Jun 2008
Biofuels review: greenhouse gas saving calculations (for the Renewable Fuels Agency)

This document provides a brief summary of the methodology used to develop the following material which forms part of the main Gallagher Review report:Graphs illustrating the range of GHG savings which can be achieved by ...

Jun 2008
Turning up the heat: climate change and poverty in Uganda

People in developing countries like Uganda, whose contribution to global warming has been miniscule, are feeling the impacts of climate change first and worst.Climatic changes are happening in Uganda. On the one hand there is ...

Jun 2008
Estimating indirect land use impacts from by-products utilization

Aim of this project part is providing an indication of the effects utilization of by-products from biofuels production can have on global land use and on land use changes. Potential influences on land use changes ...

Jun 2008
Food security and climate change: the answer is biodiversity

Climate change will profoundly affect agriculture and food security worldwide and will particularly impact smallholder farmers in poor countries. Based on a short review of recent scientific literature, this document argues that the most effective ...

Jun 2008
The effects of climate change on agriculture, land resources, water resources, and biodiversity

This report is an assessment of the effects of climate change on U.S. land resources, water resources, agriculture, and biodiversity.This assessment is based on extensive review of the relevant scientific literature and measurements and data ...

May 2008
Biofuel impacts on climate change, the environment and food - Report to the Renewable Fuels Agency

The belief that biofuels can mitigate climate change has driven governments around the world to promote the production of ethanol and biodiesel through policies that guarantee markets and offer incentives to producers and consumers. The ...

May 2008
FAO datasets on land use, land use change, agriculture and forestry and their applicability for national greenhouse gas reporting

One of the core functions of The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is to collect and disseminate information related to the subject areas covered by the organization, among them natural resources, ...

May 2008
Comments the rules for calculating the greenhouse gas impact of biofuels, other bioliquids and their fossil fuel comparators (Annex VII of COM(2008)19 FINAL)

This paper present the comments of the Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations in the EU and of the General Confederation of Agricultural Co-operatives in the EU to the Annex VII of the Directive of the ...

May 2008
Disproof of the ACP biofuel paper - N2O release from agro-biofuel production negates global warming reduction by replacing fossil fuels

The fundamental approach of the Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP) biofuel paper is that the N content of a crop or crop part determines the amount of N2O emissions ascribable to its production, and the ...

May 2008
Manifesto on climate change and the future of food security

This manifesto is an agro-ecological response to challenge posed by climate change for ensuring the future of food security by mitigation, adaptation and equity.The present food system is also extremely vulnerable to climate change, which ...

May 2008
Climate change, bioenergy and land tenure

This document is based on a study carried out for FAO by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED, London) in collaboration with the Natural Resources Institute (University of Greenwich).Despite the wide publicity given ...

May 2008
Mozambique biofuels assessment

This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the potential for biofuels production in Mozambique and assesses the potential competitiveness of biofuels production in comparison to the cost of imported petroleum-based transportation fuels in the domestic ...

May 2008
Consequential and attributional approaches to LCA: a guide to policy makers with specific reference to greenhouse gas LCA of biofuels

Policies for climate change mitigation are increasingly being informed by the results of greenhouse gas life cycle assessments (GHG-LCAs) of alternative energy carriers and delivery pathways. GHG-LCAs are of particular relevance to the biofuel sector ...

Apr 2008
Background report to the OECD Environmental Outlook to 2030 - Overviews, details, and methodology of model-based analysis

This background report provides overviews of the forward-looking analyses carried out for the OECD Environmental Outlook to 2030 (OECD, 2008). The first of these overviews gives the results of three comprehensive policy packages that were ...

Apr 2008
Climate change, forest conservation and indigenous people’s rights

According to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), eighty per cent of the world’s biodiversity is found in rainforests. Most of these rainforests are the traditional land and territories of Indigenous Peoples, which they either ...

Apr 2008
Impact of climate change mitigation measures on indigenous peoples and on their territories and lands

At its Sixth Session, the UN Permanent Forum on Indigneous Issues (UNPFII) appointed the authors as Special Rapporteurs to investigate the impact of “climate change mitigation measures on indigenous peoples”.In this paper, the authors summarize ...

Mar 2008
Accounting for indirect land-use changes in GHG balances of biofuels

Increased demand for biofuels is expected to produce changes in the present land-use configuration. Furthermore there is a growing concern about the effect of land-use change on biodiversity, food supply, soil and water quality. Biofuels ...

Mar 2008
A comparison of carbon offset standards - Making sense of the voluntary carbon market

This report discusses the role of the voluntary carbon market and provides an overview of the most important currently available carbon offset standards.Carbon offset markets exist both under compliance schemes and as voluntary programs. Compliance ...

Mar 2008
Accounting for indirect land-use changes in GHG balances of biofuels - Review of current approaches (working paper)

Increased demand for biofuels is expected to produce changes in the present land-use configuration. Furthermore there is a growing concern about the effect of land-use change on biodiversity, food supply, soil and water quality.Biofuels production ...

Mar 2008
Indigenous and traditional peoples and climate change

The purpose of this report is to help bridge the knowledge gap in understanding the present and future impacts of climate change on traditional and indigenous peoples. The report identifies options of adaptation to and ...

Mar 2008
Estimating energy and greenhouse gas balances of biofuels

The interest in developing biofuels has rapidly increased during the last decades followed by a strong controversy about their sustainability. Diverting a large amount of land from agriculture to fuels, impacting forests and grasslands, loss ...

Feb 2008
Generating carbon finance through avoided deforestation and its potential to create climatic, conservation and human development benefits

This paper evaluates the potential of reducing emissions from deforestation (RED) to generate funds through international carbon markets and discusses four key issues that are currently debated by scientists and policy makers.In addition, to what ...

Feb 2008
GHG methodology - Extracted from the annex to the impact assessment for the climate and energy package

This document, extracted from the annex to the impact assessment for the climate and energy package, contains an assessment of methods for calculating estimated greenhouse gas emissions from transport fuels.The Annex sets out the recommended ...

Feb 2008
Carbon Reporting within the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation – Methodology

This document represents advice to the Department for Transport on how carbon reporting could operate under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation. It defines the authors’ recommended methodology for calculating carbon intensity under the RTFO.This methodology ...

Feb 2008
Ethanol and land use changes

On February 2008, Science published two studies that examined the greenhouse gas impact of land use changes caused by the growing demand for biofuels. Within hours, news of the studies was carried by a remarkable ...

Feb 2008
Interactions among Amazon land use, forests and climate: prospects for a near-term forest tipping point

The future of the Amazon Basin is a topic of great concern worldwide. The trees of the Amazon contain 90–140 billion tons of carbon, equivalent to approximately 9–14 decades of current global, annual, human-induced carbon ...

Feb 2008
Towards standardization of life-cycle metrics for biofuels: greenhouse gas emissions mitigation and net energy yield

Life cycle assessment (LCA) provides the basis for quantifying the environmental impact of these systems in their entirety, from seed to biofuel. Current disagreements about the performance of biofuels rest on different approaches and assumptions ...

Jan 2008
National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA) factors - Updating and replacing the AGO factors and methods workbook - Australia

The National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA) Factors has been prepared by the Department of Climate Change and replaces the AGO Factors & Methods Workbook.The default emission factors listed in these Guidelines have been estimated by the ...

Jan 2008
Cost and life-cycle analysis of biofuels

In the past, different pathways in view to generate fuel from biomass were developed or put into practice in order to reduce both the dependency of the current traffic sector of fossil resources and the ...

Jan 2008
Climate change - Induced water stress and its impact on natural and managed ecosystems

Climate change will affect water availability differently in Europe – likely a large decrease in Southern Europe, while an increase in the North. However, the largest increases will be felt where very few people actually ...

Jan 2008
Biofuels and development: will the EU help or hinder?

Developing countries are heavily affected by global biofuels policies, both as potential producers (for their own use or export) and as consumers (of crops displaced by biofuels and of energy). Because Europe is a major ...

Jan 2008
Life cycle assessment in the bioenergy sector: developing a systematic review

The UK and EU have pledged to increase the utilisation of biomass in the energy sector, for both heat and power generation, and liquid transport fuels, with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions ...

Jan 2008
GHG emissions from indirect land-use change in biofuels production - Brazilian case for sugarcane-based bioethanol and soybean-based biodiesel

The displacement for biofuels production of current land-use and biomass use in a region can induce land-use changes elsewhere. This effect is known as indirect land-use change. Due to changes in the carbon stock of ...

Dec 2007
Forecasting indirect land use effects of transportation projects

One purpose of this report is to better inform current practice with useful research findings. Another is to guide practitioners about what approach to use when current guidebooks provide insufficient direction. The most appropriate choice ...

Dec 2007
Agrofuels threaten to accelerate global warming

This report looks at the impact which large-scale agrofuel production is likely to have on the global climate through agriculture and ecosystem destruction. It discusses the different sources of greenhouse gas emissions linked to the ...

Dec 2007
Summary for policymakers of the synthesis report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report

This Synthesis Report is based on the assessment carried out by the three Working Groups of the IPCC. It provides an integrated view of climate change as the final part of the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment ...

Nov 2007
Frequently asked questions - From the report accepted by Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change but not approved in detail

This paper contains the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) in relation to climate change. These FAQs have been taken directly from the chapters of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ...

Nov 2007
Biogas as a resource-efficient vehicle fuel

The so-called ‘first generation’ of biofuels is expected to dominate renewable transportation fuels for the next ten years. However, when considering a long-term perspective, new biofuel production systems need to be developed because several of ...

Nov 2007
The biofuels controversy

The coming of age of biofuels is happening against the background of growing awareness of the urgent need for changing the present unsustainable pattern of energy use, characterized by a profligate (mis)use of abundant and ...

Nov 2007
Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - Technical Summary

This technical summary provides a detailed overview of the scientific basis for the key findings of the IPCC Working Group I assessment and provides a road map to the chapters of the report. It focuses ...

Nov 2007
Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - Technical Summary

The Working Group II Fourth Assessment, as with all the IPCC reports, has been produced through an open and peer reviewed process. It builds upon past assessments and IPCC Special Reports, and incorporates the results ...

Nov 2007
Energy and fuelwood

Woody biomass is widely utilised as feedstock for heat, electricity and cogeneration plants. In future it could also be sought by developers of biofuel processing plants, biorefineries and hydrogen production plants, but will compete with ...

Nov 2007
Climate change 2007 - Synthesis report

This Synthesis Report is based on the assessment carried out by the three Working Groups (WGs) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It provides an integrated view of climate change as the final ...

Nov 2007
A review of the current state of bioenergy development in G8 +5 Countries

This report is part of the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP)’s ongoing efforts to monitor the status of bioenergy development in member countries and create a basis for future discussion of sustainability criteria and possible guidelines ...

Nov 2007
Contribution of Working Group III to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - Technical summary

The main aim of this report is to assess options for mitigating climate change. Several aspects link climate change with development issues. This report explores these links in detail, and illustrates where climate change and ...

Nov 2007
Biofuels: is the cure worse than the disease?

This document was prepared at the initiative of the Chair of the Round Table on Sustainable Development at the OECDBiofuels have been championed as an energy source that can increase security of supply, reduce vehicle ...

Sep 2007
Potentials for bioenergy to mitigate climate change - A summary of recent findings from the IPCC and IEA

Due to significant economic and technological uncertainties, the exact potentials for bioenergy to reduce carbon emissions in the long term remain unknown.The IPCC estimates that over the next century bioenergy, in supplying 10-25% of world ...

Aug 2007
IEA Bioenergy Annual Report 2006

Renewable energy is of growing importance in responding to concerns over the environment and security of energy supply. Biomass is unique in providing the only renewable source of fixed carbon, which is an essential ingredient ...

Jul 2007
The rush to ethanol: not all biofuels are created equal - Analysis and recommendations for U.S. biofuels policy

Corn-based ethanol has emerged as a leading contender to reduce dependence on fossil fuel–based gasoline. At first glance, corn-based ethanol seems simple, even patriotic: take the sugar from corn that U.S. farmers grow, and ferment ...

Jul 2007
Governing global climate change: St. Petersburg Compliance Report for the 'G8 Plus Five' Countries - G8 Final Compliance Report 2007

Founded in 1987, the G8 Research Group is an independent organization whose mission is to serve as the world’s leading independent source of information, analysis, and research on the institutions, issues, and members of the ...

Jun 2007
N2O release from agro-biofuel production negates global warming reduction by replacing fossil fuels

N2O, a by-product of fixed nitrogen application in agriculture, is a “greenhouse gas” with a 100-year average global warming potential (GWP) 296 times larger than an equal mass of CO2. As a source for NOx, ...

Jun 2007
Growth and responsibility in the world economy

Developed at Heiligendamm during the G8 Summit 2007, this document outlines the key commitments of the G8 countries on climate change, clean energy and sustainable development issues, including:G8 agenda for global growth and stability;Systemic stability ...

Jun 2007
Oil palm and other commercial tree plantations, monocropping: impacts on indigenous peoples’ land tenure and resource management systems and livelihoods

This paper draws on important reports by various United Nations (UN) organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as from visits of members of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to countries where large-scale ...

May 2007
Liquid biofuels in transport: conclusions and recommendations of the scientific and technical advisory panel (STAP) to the global environment facility (GEF)

Liquid biofuels have been the subject of much debate about their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through their substitution for fossil fuels. The motivation for countries to consider using liquid biofuels for transport is ...

May 2007
Life cycle assessment of energy products: environmental assessment of biofuels

The objective of this study is to evaluate the environmental impact of the entire production chain of fuels made from biomass used in Switzerland. Firstly the study supplies an analysis of the possible environmental impacts ...

May 2007
Life cycle assessment of energy products: environmental assessment of biofuels – Executive summary

The objective of this study is to evaluate the environmental impact of the entire production chain of fuels made from biomass used in Switzerland. Firstly the study supplies an analysis of the possible environmental impacts ...

May 2007
Liquid biofuels in transport: conclusions and recommendations of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) to the Global Environment Facility (GEF)

As a result of renewed and growing interest in biofuels as a renewable energy source to substitute petroleum-derived products in the transport sector, the GEF received a number of project proposals to support biofuels in ...

May 2007
UK biomass strategy

This strategy brings together current government policies on biomass for industry, energy and transport and provides a framework for the development of biomass as a whole. It recognises that the EU and wider international policies ...

May 2007
Carbon reporting within the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation – Methodology

This document represents advice to the Department for Transport on how carbon reporting could operate under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation. It defines a recommended methodology for calculating carbon intensity under the RTFO. This Methodology ...

Apr 2007
Sustainable bioenergy: a framework for decision makers

This paper on sustainable bioenergy was drafted collectively by UN-Energy members , which include all of the United Nations agencies, programmes, and organizations working in the area of energy, reflecting their insights and expertise.The paper ...

Apr 2007
Climate change 2007: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability (fourth assessment report) - summary for policymakers

This summary sets out the key policy-relevant findings of the Fourth Assessment Report of Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).The Assessment is of current scientific understanding of impacts of climate ...

Apr 2007
Biofuel production and the threat to South Africa's food security

Biofuels production is increasing inexorably all over the world, driven by the rise in oil prices and the threat of climate change. This in turn is pushing up the price of food, especially of those ...

Apr 2007
Analysing our energy future - Some pointers for policy-makers

Policy-makers increasingly rely on prospective studies to support their efforts to set policy goals and identify the most appropriate measures to achieve them. The United Nations Environment Programme and the International Energy Agency advocate this ...

Apr 2007
Greenhouse gas impacts of expanded renewable and alternative fuels use

The increased use of renewable and alternative fuels can result in significant reductions in the use of petroleum-based fuels. By displacing petroleum fuels, many, although not all, of these fuels can provide reductions in greenhouse ...

Apr 2007
Well-to-wheels analysis of future automotive fuels and powertrains in the European context

EUCAR, CONCAWE and JRC (the Joint Research Centre of the EU Commission) have updated their joint evaluation of the Well-to-Wheels energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for a wide range of potential future fuel ...

Mar 2007
Potential policy approaches and positive incentives to reduce emissions from deforestation in developing countries

Recognizing and safeguarding Indigenous Peoples’ territorial rights over their own, often widespread, forest areas, has proven to be a highly effective policy for reducing deforestation in many countries, including, for example, Colombia and Panama. The ...

Feb 2007
Greenhouse gas emission trends and projections in Europe 2007 - Tracking progress towards Kyoto targets

This sixth annual report presents an assessment of the actual historic (1990 to 2005) and projected future progress (by 2010 and by 2020) of the European Community (EC), its Member States, EU candidate countries as ...

Jan 2007
Bioenergy: facts and figures

This document issued by the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) Secretariat illustrates “the basics” of bioenergy.GBEP is committed to promoting bioenergy for sustainable development. Bioenergy is a sustainable energy source only if its entire production chain ...

Jan 2007
Biomass – A sleeping giant?

Biomass is currently attracting a great deal of interest – although the debate also has its controversial aspects. Biomass is considered to be a very promising option for several reasons: to secure raw material supplies ...

Jan 2007
Biofuels: promises and constraints

Concerns about energy supply, national security, climate change, and economic development crowd the public policy agendas of most countries around the world and dominate international dialogues. Political instability in many oil exporting countries threatens the ...

Dec 2006
Potential of carbon payments for bioenergy

Agriculture around the world is already mitigating climate change through the increased growing of crops and trees. But much more can be done to bring agriculture into the center of climate change mitigation and to ...

Dec 2006
Environmental effects of bioenergy

As concerns about climate change and energy security rise, bioenergy is often proposed as a renewable energy source that can be cost-effectively scaled up to a level that would allow it to contribute significantly to ...

Dec 2006
Bioenergy and agriculture: promises and challenges

This document contains an overview of main promises and challenges of bioenergy that in recent years has drawn attention as a sustainable energy source that may help cope with rising energy prices, address environmental concerns ...

Dec 2006
Sustainable international bioenergy trade: securing supply and demand - Technology report

This document summarizes the main results and the direct input from all the Task 40 members, and addresses bioenergy trade from the current Task 40 member countries’ point of view.The aim of this technology report ...

Nov 2006
Fuel-cycle assessment of selected bioethanol production pathways in the United States

This work was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The report was prepared by Argonne National Laboratory to present the results of an analysis conducted, in part, ...

Nov 2006
The land use, land-use change, and forestry - Guidance for GHG project accounting

The Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry (LULUCF) Guidance for GHG Project Accounting (LULUCF Guidance) was developed by the World Resources Institute to supplement the GHG Protocol for Project Accounting (Project Protocol).The Greenhouse Gas Protocol ...

Nov 2006
Agriculture’s role in greenhouse gas mitigation

Since the 1940s, the emergence of modern agriculture has dramatically altered the relative sources and amounts of agricultural GHG fluxes. Increasing productivity, improved cropping practices, erosion control measures, and reduced tillage intensity (see Chapter II) ...

Sep 2006
Biofuels production, trade and sustainable development: emerging issues

This paper seeks to provide a preliminary identification of the main sustainable development issues involved in the debate around production and trade in biofuels.The paper is organised as follows.Chapter 2 provides a brief description of ...

Sep 2006
Global Energy Security - St. Petersburg plan of action

Developed at St. Petersburg in 2006, this document outlines key commitments of the G8 Countries on energy security, including:Increasing transparency, predictability and stability of global energy markets;Improving the investment climate in the energy sector;Enhancing energy ...

Jul 2006
Criteria for sustainable biomass production – Final Report

The project group “Sustainable Production of Biomass” has been commissioned by the Interdepartmental Programme Management Energy Transition to formulate sustainability criteria for the production and processing of biomass for energy, fuels and chemistry. In this ...

Jul 2006
Modeling development and emission scenario analysis in China

By collaboration with international research teams, Integrated Policy Assessment Model for China was developed step by step. One of major research activities of IPAC is to develop energy and emission scenarios for China. In order ...

Jan 2006
Energy crops: current status and future prospects

Energy crops currently contribute a relatively small proportion to the total energy produced from biomass each year, but the proportion is set to grow over the next few decades. This paper reviews the current status ...

Jan 2006
World energy technology outlook – WETO H2

As the age of cheap energy resources comes to its end, strong political commitment is needed to preserve European competitiveness and to combat climate change. The WETO-H2 report (World Energy Technology Outlook-2050) places the European ...

Jan 2006
Key terms used in greenhouse gas reporting and accounting for the land use, land use change and forestry sector

IEA Bioenergy is a collaborative network under the auspices of the International Energy Agency (IEA) to improve international co-operation and information exchange between national bioenergy RD&D programmes. IEA Bioenergy Task 38 integrates and analyses information ...

Dec 2005
Participative LCA on biofuels

During the lifecycle of biofuels, emissions arise during biomass feedstock production, transport of the raw material and products, conversion of the feedstock into the biofuel, and use of the fuel in cars. These emissions can ...

Nov 2005
Updated energy and greenhouse gas emission results of fuel ethanol

Energy and environmental effects of using fuel ethanol in the U.S. have been debated since the inception of the fuel ethanol program in 1980. Over the past 25 years, more than 20 studies have been ...

Sep 2005
Climate change and technology

This paper examines how a global climate regime for post-2012 could more effectively promote the development, deployment and diffusion (DD&D) of appropriate technologies.Technology is expected to play a critical role in the mitigation of and ...

Aug 2005
Gleneagles plan of action - climate change, clean energy and sustainable development

Developed at Gleneagles 2005, this document outlines key commitments of the G8 countries on climate change, clean energy and sustainable development issues, including: Transforming the way we use energy;Powering a cleaner future;Promoting research and development;Financing the ...

Jan 2005
BIOMITRE Technical Manual

The BIOMITRE software tool has been developed through an accompanying measure, referred to as "BIOmass-based Climate Change MITigation through Renewable Energy" or the BIOMITRE Project. The project was designed to allow production of a software ...

Nov 2004
The clean development mechanism (CDM) an international perspective and implications for the LAC region

This paper addresses an analysis of international CDM experiences and its potential contribution to the LAC region.The Paper begins with a section describing the CDM and the rules governing its use. This is followed by ...

Aug 2004
Evaluating greenhouse gases balances and mitigation costs of bioenergy system- A review of methodologies

This report gives a review of methods and approaches for assessment of greenhouse gas mitigation and cost-effectiveness in biomass-based energy systems, identifying methodological strengths and weaknesses. Beneficial methodological approaches should be accurate, transparent and efficient ...

Jun 2004
Biofuel for transport

While biofuels production costs are fairly easy to measure, the benefits are difficult to quantify. But this does not necessarily mean that the benefits are not substantial. Increasing the use of biofuels can improve energy ...

Apr 2004
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol - A corporate accounting and reporting standard

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative is a multi-stakeholder partnership of businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), governments, and others convened by the World Resources Institute (WRI), a U.S.-based environmental NGO, and the World Business Council for Sustainable ...

Mar 2004
Methodology for baseline and additionality analysis for multiple project categories - Guideline document

These guidelines have been prepared for project developers seeking to develop CDM or JI projects in the industry, energy, and possibly other sectors, where projects aiming at reducing GHG emissions can take place. The guidelines ...

Jan 2004
Fuel-cycle energy and emission impacts of ethanol-diesel blends in urban buses and farming tractors

Numerous studies have been conducted to evaluate the fuel-cycle energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission effects of ethanol-gasoline blends relative to those of gasoline for applications in spark- ignition engine vehicles. Those studies did not ...

Jul 2003
Energy and biodiversity: understanding complex relationships, OECD Workshop on Biomass and Agriculture

People concerned about energy issues seldom give adequate attention to biodiversity, and those concerned with biodiversity give inadequate consideration to the implications of energy policy for their issues. However, virtually all of the factors leading ...

Jun 2003
Carbon emission and mitigation cost comparisons between fossil fuel, nuclear and renewable energy resources for electricity generation

This study was conducted to compare the electricity generation costs of a number of current commercial technologies with technologies expected to become commercially available within the coming decade or so. The amount of greenhouse gas ...

Apr 2003
A guide to emissions trading

Since its inclusion in the Kyoto Protocol—as one of three market-based mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—the prospect of an international emissions trading system has attracted wide interest among policy makers, industrialists and others.In ...

Feb 2003
Comparison of biodiesel with different diesel fuels regarding exhaust gas emissions and health effects

Two years ago, results of a study carried out at Chalmers University, Gothenburg, Sweden, were intensively discussed in the public. In this study the authors – belonging to the group of Olsson – claimed that ...

Jan 2003
A comprehensive analysis of biodiesel impacts on exhaust emissions - Draft technical report

This Report presents a technical analysis of the effect of biodiesel on exhaust emissions from diesel-powered vehicles. It analyzes pre-existing data from various emissions test programs to investigate these effects. The conclusions drawn in this ...

Oct 2002
Microalgae production from power plant flue gas: environmental implications on a life cycle basis

CO2 is a major greenhouse gas (GHG), and its physical capture from fossil-fuel power-plants has been considered as a potential remediation option since Marchetti (1977) first proposed the disposal of the captured CO2 in the ...

Jun 2001
Analysis of “Comparative LCA of Biodiesel and Fossil Diesel Fuel” by Ceuterick and Spirinckx

The paper “Comparison of LCA and external-cost analysis for biodiesel and diesel” by L. DeNocker and C. Spirinckx was presented at the EPA-sponsored International Conference and Exhibition on Life Cycle Assessment on 2000.The paper presented ...

Jul 2000
The GHG indicator: UNEP guidelines for calculating greenhouse gas emissions for businesses and non-commercial organisations

Climate change resulting from human activities is now recognised as one of the most pressing environmental issues facing the world’s population. In addressing this problem, governments, the international community and industry are moving to control ...

Apr 2000
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