Implementing the GBEP indicators for sustainable bioenergy in Germany

Dec 2014

In November 2011, the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) adopted a set of 24 indicators to assess and monitor the sustainability of modern bioenergy. The indicators shall provide a tool for policy-makers and other stakeholders that informs on the development of the bioenergy sector and that allows monitoring the impact of related policies and programs.
The indicators are published together with a multi-page methodology sheet for each indicator providing in-depth information on its evaluation1. The indicators are now being pilot tested in different countries. At the GBEP level this work is accompanied by the Working Group on Capacity Building for Sustainable Bioenergy (WGCB) that was founded in 2011. It promotes the dissemination, use, and implementation of the indicators. At the same time it serves as a platform for sharing lessons learned from the pilots and for disseminating helpful tools and resources. All together this will help enhancing the applicability and practicality of the indicators and ensures their broad dissemination.
The pilot testing in Germany is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi)2 and started in 2011. Its objective is to assess the feasibility of evaluating the 24 indicators in Germany. The assessment reveals which of the indicators are difficult to be applied and where the methodologies may need adaptation. A focus is put on describing deficits and on deriving proposals on how to deal with them. These lessons learned are mirrored back into the GBEP process.
Besides assessing the indicators, the project gives insight into the state of sustainability of the bioenergy sector in Germany. It summarises the availability and reliability of the data base for relevant sustainability aspects and shows data gaps and needs for further research.
The assessment is guided by following questions:
- Can the GBEP indicators and their methodologies be applied in Germany?
- What are gaps and which requirements for improving the methodologies exist?
- Is the data base sufficient to evaluate the indicators? What are data gaps? Is the data quality sufficient?
- Can a link with bioenergy production be established?
- Do the indicators cover all relevant sustainability aspects in Germany?
The indicator evaluation is based on a desktop study. No primary data where assessed but only existing data from Ministries and research institutions are used. For each indicator relevant legal regulations, political goals and data reporting commitments are identified and listed in a first step. In a second step, relevant data sources are identified and summarised.
The link to the bioenergy sector was established in a transparent manner.
Where the data basis was not sufficient and / or where no direct link to the bioenergy sector could be established, alternative approaches and methodologies are developed. These have been discussed in workshops with experts from political and scientific institutions in order to base them on a broad consensus. Where possible, data were collected for the years 2010 to 2012. In the main report, data referring to 2012 are presented while the remaining 2010-2011 data are given in the Annex.
Recommendations are derived both for feedback into the GBEP process in terms of indicator enhancement and for German institutions in terms of further research need.

By: S. Köppen, H. Fehrenbach, S. Markwardt, A. Hennecke, U. Eppler, U.R. Fritsche

 
download this document:   2348 kb
home