New and emerging issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity - Biodiversity and liquid biofuel production

Apr 2007

The Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) is mandated to identify new and emerging issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. In a meeting held by teleconference on 22 September 2006, the SBSTTA Bureau identified, among other issues, the interlinkages between biodiversity and liquid biofuel production as a new and emerging issue for consideration by SBSTTA at its twelfth meeting.
The contribution of biofuel as a new and renewable source of energy in addressing the climate-change challenges has been addressed by appropriate international forums, including the Commission on Sustainable Development and the Scientific Advisory Panel of the Global Environment Facility. Moreover, the Global Bioenergy Partnership was launched in 2006 to create a global high-level policy dialogue on bioenergy and to promote more efficient and sustainable uses of biomass. In identifying biofuel as an emerging issue pursuant to decision VIII/10, the Bureau of SBSTTA recommended its consideration by SBSTTA at its twelfth meeting from the perspective of the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
The present note has been prepared on the basis of findings from scientific studies, reports and other documents to facilitate the consideration of the issue by the Subsidiary Body. Although not a comprehensive review of the issue, it benefited from contributions received through a six-week electronic forum launched by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity on 29 January 2007. All contributions to the electronic forum have been compiled in a document for information.
After a description of different types of liquid biofuels in section II, the note presents in section III the advantages of biofuel production and use, and in section IV the possible impacts of biofuel production on biodiversity. Section V presents some indicative options for promoting biofuel development consistent with the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

By: SBSTTA, Convention on biological diversity (UNEP)

 
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