Biofuels, neither saviour nor scam - The case for a selective strategy

Jun 2008

In the broader scope of global biomass utilization, liquid biofuels for transportation are but a tiny fraction of the whole. The majority of organic matter (or biomass) is used for animal feed, food, consumer goods, and building materials, with only a small percentage devoted specifically toward energy generation—and even less used to produce liquid biofuels. Still, there is considerable concern over the global rush to produce biofuels and it is critical to disaggregate the true issues from the din of the debate.
It is generally assumed that, as new and tougher limits on greenhouse gas emissions are enacted by governments, new market opportunities for environmental action - especially carbon emissions reductions and sequestration - will be created. Most emission reduction efforts to date have focused on energy providers and heavy industry.
Because the agriculture sector has never been asked to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, there exists a lot of “low-hanging fruit”—inexpensive, attainable gains—such as the implementation of advanced tillage and other agronomic techniques that build carbon in the soil, and the reduction of chemical nitrogen fertilizer use. These practices can help ensure that future biofuels production and agriculture meet sustainability targets. Increasingly, agricultural groups recognize this opportunity and are lobbying for favourable policies, such as carbon credits for sustainable agriculture practices that can be traded for profit on the open market. Reliable verification systems must be developed so that farmers, agricultural companies, and landowners get credit for true emissions reductions and sequestration.
Building a clean energy infrastructure, promoting greenhouse gas reductions, and ensuring plentiful and cheap food are daunting challenges, but they also present opportunities for new markets, new technologies, and new product development. Biofuels will play a role in a resilient, clean energy future, but we need smart policies and responsible, sustainable business practices.
The most egregious scam on the American people is not biofuels. Rather, it is the myopic debate that distracts from the larger issues at hand: our current agricultural, energy, and transport systems are failing and putting us at risk by threatening the global climate. Human innovation, forward thinking legislation, and collective action will be our saviors, not the fuel flavor of the day

By: S. Hunt

 
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