The Gallagher review of the indirect effects of biofuels production

Jul 2008

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 economic opportunities for farmers both in the UK and elsewhere, including the developing world. This review has been commissioned by the UK Government to specifically examine the emerging evidence of the indirect effects of biofuels, which potentially calls these benefits into question.
The review has sought to address six key questions:
1. What are the key drivers of land-use change and food insecurity to date and to what extent is increasing demand for biofuels significant?
2. To what extent may global demand for biofuels contribute to land-use change and food insecurity to 2020 given known current and proposed targets and anticipated future commodity prices?
3. How are GHG savings from biofuels affected by displaced agricultural activity and resulting land-use change taking into account the introduction of possible new technologies and other changes in land productivity and cultivation and production methods?
4. What are the sustainability risks associated with different levels and forms of biofuel targets to 2020 for a range of supply scenarios?
5. What policies can mitigate the potential negative indirect effects of biofuels on land-use change and food security?
6. What further work would help to monitor and evaluate displacement effects of biofuels?
The conclusions have been reached through a critical evaluation of evidence gathered from experts globally. The review has drawn upon a number of studies that have recently been, or will imminently be, published examining the sustainability of biofuels or the effects of rising food prices. For example; AEA (2008) have published a study for Defra examining the environmental sustainability of international biofuels production and use.

By: Ed Gallagher (RFA)

 
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