Global Initiatives

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
Technology Roadmap: How2Guide for Bioenergy

Bioenergy is the largest source of renewable energy today, providing heat and electricity, as well as transport fuels. Yet, more so than for other low-carbon energy technologies, the complex and multi-faceted supply chains of bioenergy ...

Jan 2017
A Life-Cycle Analysis of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Corn Based Ethanol

The primary purpose of this report is to consider a more complete set of information now available related to the life-cycle emissions for corn-based ethanol and based on this information, assess its current (i.e., in ...

Jan 2017
Forest biomass, carbon neutrality and climate change mitigation

The Paris Agreement and the EU Climate and Energy Framework set ambitious but necessary targets. Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by phasing out the technologies and infrastructures that cause fossil carbon emissions is one of ...

Oct 2016
Towards advanced biofuels – options for integrating 1st and 2nd generation biofuel production (RES-T-BIOPLANT)

The integration of advanced (2nd generation / 2G) biofuel plants with conventional (1st generation / 1G) biofuel plants can lead to significant synergies and cost savings, especially for bioethanol plants. For biodiesel, conversion of fossil ...

Feb 2016
Second-Generation Biofuel Markets: State of Play, Trade and Developing Country Perspectives

UNCTAD's first report on the state of biofuel technologies in 2007 highlighted a sector with great potential, but at the time that was a long way off from markets.In 2015, countries made commitments toward a ...

Feb 2016
Region-Specific Indicators for Assessing the Sustainability of Biomass Utilisation in East Asia

This paper presents the findings of an expert working group of researchers from East Asian countries. The group was tasked with developing a theoretically sound and practically implementable methodology for assessing the sustainability of biomass ...

Dec 2015
Bioenergy: land-use and mitigating iLUC - Summary and Conclusions from the IEA Bioenergy ExCo74 workshop

IEA Bioenergy held its biannual workshop in Brussels on the 23rd October 2014 in conjunction with the Executive Committee meeting (ExCo74). The workshop on ‘Bioenergy: land use and mitigating iLUC’ was prepared in close collaboration ...

Nov 2015
REthinking Energy: Renewable Energy and Climate Change

The second edition of REthinking Energy – the flagship report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) – looks at how the transition to renewables could help limit global warming. As the report points out, ...

Nov 2015
Mobilizing Sustainable Bioenergy Supply Chains

This report summarizes the results of an IEA Bioenergy inter-Task project involving collaborators from Tasks 37 (Energy from Biogas), 38 (Climate Change Effects of Biomass and Bioenergy Systems), 39 (Commercialising Conventional and Advanced Liquid Biofuels ...

Nov 2015
Identifying and mitigating potential nutrient and sediment hot spots under a future scenario in the Missouri River Basin

Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for large-scale watershed modeling could be useful for evaluating the quality of the water in regions that are dominated by nonpoint sources in order to identify potential ...

Sep 2015
The Energy–Water–Food Nexus at decentralized scales

A notable feature of almost all the discussions surrounding the energy–water–food nexus to date is that they have focused on national or supra-national scales. Most key background documents lack discussion of smaller, more localized scales. ...

Jun 2015
Bioenergy & sustainability: bridging the gaps

This report combines a comprehensive analysis of the current bioenergy landscape, technologies and practices with a critical review of their impacts.Experts from over 80 institutions contributed to the extensive evaluation of the current status of ...

Apr 2015
Towards sustainable modern wood energy development

Wood energy currently makes up more than 65% of the global share of renewable energy. In some developing countries, more than 90% of the people rely exclusively on fuelwood, charcoal and crop residues for cooking ...

Dec 2014
Implementing the GBEP indicators for sustainable bioenergy in Germany

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 ...

Dec 2014
The state of the biofuels market: regulatory, trade and development perspectives

As the UN system gears towards the definition of the Sustainable Development Goals for the international community in the period post-2015, the linkages between energy and development lie high in international agendas. Governments, intergovernmental organizations, ...

Nov 2014
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
Global bioenergy supply and demand projections. A working paper for REmap 2030

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has developed a Global Renewable Energy Roadmap – called REmap 2030 – to double the share of renewablesin the global energy mix by 2030. This ambitious target is derived ...

Sep 2014
Sustainable biomass production and use. Lessons learned from the Netherlands Programme Sustainabile Biomass (NPSB) 2009-2013

The Netherlands Programme Sustainable Biomass (NPSB) has been developed to gain experience in the production and certification of sustainable biomass to strengthen the framework for the production of sustainable biomass, based on practical experiences. The ...

May 2014
Possibilities of sustainable woody energy trade and impacts on developing countries

Many OECD countries, particularly within the EU, have set ambitious plans for the use of woody bioenergy. While the woody biomass consumed for householduse is most likely to be sourced locally and is quite independent ...

Jan 2014
Prospects for Agricultural Markets and Income in the EU 2013-2023

This report presents the medium-term outlook of major EU agricultural commodity markets and agricultural income to 2023, based on a set of coherent macroeconomic and policy assumptions deemed most plausible at the time of the ...

Dec 2013
Impacts of biofuel production. Case studies: Mozambique, Argentina and Ukraine

The objective of this study is to develop and demonstrate a methodological framework to enable an ex-ante assessment of the potential land availability for dedicated energy crops and the potential environmental and socio-economic impacts of ...

Nov 2013
Lessons learned in testing the Global Bio-Energy Partnership sustainability indicators

In May 2011 the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) Task Force on Sustainability agreed on a first set of 24 relevant, practical, science-based, voluntary sustainability indicators for bioenergy. Several countries are undertaking pilot projects to test ...

Nov 2013
China's long green march. A study of renewable energy. environmental industry and cement sectors

In the past 20 years, China’s economy has increased tenfold. This growth has lifted 660 million people out of extreme poverty. However, it has had an environmental cost. China is the world’s largest producer of ...

Nov 2013
An approach to designing energy delivery models that work for people living in poverty

Access to modern, safe, affordable and sustainable energy is increasingly recognised as crucial for development. Designing the delivery of energy services that can meet the needs and wants of end-users, in particular those of men ...

Sep 2013
Biofuels and food security: risks and opportunities

This comprehensive overview of the main aspects of the interrelation between food and biofuels synthesizes previous research on the subject. It addresses the causality between biofuels production, global crop commodity prices and eventual implications for ...

Aug 2013
Analysing the effect of biofuel expansion on land use in major producing countries

Existing estimates on the potential impacts of biofuel production are often based on projections made with models that have limited ability to incorporate changes in land use (notably cropping intensity). This paper studies biofuel expansion ...

Jul 2013
Renewables 2013 Global Status Report

Renewable energy markets, industries, and policy frameworks have evolved rapidly in recent years. The Renewables Global Status Report provides a comprehensive and timely overview of renewable energy market, industry, investment, and policy developments worldwide. It ...

Jun 2013
Guidance Manual Smallholder Certification in Biomass Supply Chains

The purpose of this manual is to provide guidance to companies and others, such as NGO‘s, governments and standard certification/verification organizations, that wish to work with certified smallholders in biomass supply chains. The manual is ...

Jun 2013
Smallholder certification in biomass supply chains. Challenges and strategies

As a result of an increasing interest in biomass as an alternative to the use of non-renewable fossil fuel resources, agricultural production of biomass has become a key topic in many boardrooms. This results in ...

Jun 2013
EU bioenergy potential from a resource efficiency perspective

The European Environment Agency (EEA) has produced a series of reports estimating the European Union's bioenergy potential in an environmental perspective and analysing its most efficient use to support greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation (EEA,2006, 2007, ...

Jun 2013
Combining bioenergy production and food security

This report analyses whether and how bioenergy can be produced within the context of food insecurity. With this study, the NL Agency aims to contribute to Dutch Development Cooperation policy on food security by showing ...

May 2013
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
Status of Advanced Biofuels Demonstration Facilities in 2012

A number of companies around the world pursue projects to develop and deploy advanced technologies for the production of biofuels. Plenty of options are available, e.g. on which feedstock to use, how to pretreat it ...

Mar 2013
Sustainability Certification in the Biofuel Sector

The European Union (EU) and the United States have adopted aggressive programs to promote the greater use of biofuels. One of the goals is to reduce carbon emissions by replacing gasoline with low carbon fuels. ...

Mar 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
Poor people's energy outlook 2013

The theme for PPEO 2013, the third in the series, is energy for community services: health, education, public institutions, and infrastructure. The report has been informed and guided by discussions with people in Bolivia, Bangladesh, ...

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
Biofuels – what role in the future energy mix? Facts, trends and perspectives

The use of biofuels grew strongly in Germany between 2004 and 2007, but its share has been stagnating since then, at between 5.5-6%. Biodiesel made from rape led the way, ahead of ethanol made from ...

Oct 2012
RSB Version 1.0. Food security guidelines

The Energy Centre at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) is coordinating a multi-stakeholder effort, the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB), to develop international standards for sustainable biofuels production and processing and ...

Sep 2012
Low indirect impact biofuel certification module

One of the key sustainability challenges for bioenergy is indirect land use change (ILUC). Ecofys together with WWF and EPFL have developed a certification module to demonstrate and claim biofuels with a low risk of ...

Jul 2012
Social protection for food security

Fourth report of the Committee on World Food Security's (CFS) High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE), focusing on ways to lessen vulnerability through social and productive safety net programmes and ...

Jun 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
EU biofuel use and agricultural commodity prices: a review of the evidence base

In 2012, the European Commission (EC) will produce a report reviewing the social impacts of EU biofuel policy. Under Article 17 (5) of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED)1, the EC is obliged to conduct this ...

Jun 2012
IEA Technology Roadmap. Bioenergy for Heat and Power

This roadmap further develops past IEA analysis in line with the forthcoming Energy Technology Perspectives 2012. The ETP 2012 2°C Scenario (ETP 2DS) sets out cost effective strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the ...

May 2012
Smallholders in global bioenergy value chains and certification

Over the last few years, there has been growing interest in bioenergy, due in part to its potential for rural development and climate change mitigation, and as an energy alternative given the high price of ...

Mar 2012
Poor people's energy outlook 2012

This second edition of the Poor people’s energy outlook (PPEO) shines a spotlight on energy access and its impact on the ability of the world’s poorest people to earn a decent living. Its release is ...

Mar 2012
Impacts of bioenergy on food security

Modern bioenergy development, through its environmental and socio-economic impacts, may have positive or negative effects on the four dimensions of food security: availability; access; utilization, and stability. Both the nature and magnitude of the impacts ...

Mar 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
Policy instruments to promote good practices in bioenergy feedstock production

Modern bioenergy development, through its environmental and socio-economic impacts, may have positive or negative effects on the four dimensions of food security: availability; access; utilization, and stability.In order to ensure that modern bioenergy development is ...

Mar 2012
A compilation of tools and methodologies to assess the sustainability of modern bioenergy

The FAO’s Bioenergy and Food Security Criteria and Indicators (BEFSCI) project has compiled a set of thirty relevant tools and methodologies that can be used to inform the development of a sustainable bioenergy sector and ...

Mar 2012
Global assessments and guidelines for sustainable liquid biofuel production in developing countries

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) needs to set clear policies and priorities for future work and funding of biofuel-related projects while providing guidance to countries interest-ed in developing this sector. UN agencies in collaboration with ...

Feb 2012
Modern bioenergy: one of the game changers for achieving universal access to modern energy services

Energy empowers people. It enables development and growth. Yet, 20% of the global population still does not have access to electricity; and 40% currently rely on traditional biomass in the form of wood, charcoal or ...

Jan 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
“Energy-smart” food for people and climate

The global community is becoming increasingly concerned about the high dependence of the global food sector on fossil fuels. This anxiety is compounded by FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) projections indicating ...

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
The bioenergy and water nexus

Renewable, sustainable sources of energy are an essential part of the transition to a low carbon, resource-efficient Green Economy. All forms of energy have, to a greater or lesser extent, an impact on water resources, ...

Aug 2011
Unleashing the potential of renewable energy in India

India has 150GW of renewable energy potential, about half in the form of small hydropower, biomass, and wind and half in solar, cogeneration, and waste-to-energy. Developing renewable energy can help India increase its energy security, ...

Jun 2011
Price volatility in food and agricultural markets: policy responses

Under the Food Security pillar of the Seoul Multi-year Action Plan on Development, the G20 “request that FAO, IFAD, IMF, OECD, UNCTAD, WFP, the World Bank and the WTO work with key stakeholders to develop ...

Jun 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
Global impacts of European agricultural and biofuel policies

Food supply and food distribution have been and are important issues in the global political arena. The recent emergence of biofuel policies has increased the influence of the policy arena on agricultural production. In this ...

Apr 2011
Biofuels: ethical issues

Biofuels are not a new technology. Rudolf Diesel ran an engine on peanut oil at the World‘s Fair in Paris in 1900, and liquid fuels made from sources such as food crops have been researched ...

Apr 2011
Biofuels and indirect land use change. White paper: challenges and opportunities for improved assessment and monitoring.

This White Paper summarizes the issues surrounding indirect land use change (iLUC) and identifies ways to address weaknesses and areas of controversy in current approaches to modeling iLUC and potential iLUC mitigation options. It specifically ...

Mar 2011
The role of remote sensing in monitoring biofuel feedstock and land use changes

The aim of this study is to assess the potential to use Remote Sensing (RS) technologies and products to identify land use changes (direct and indirect) relating to the increased production of biofuel crops. The ...

Mar 2011
Urgent actions needed to prevent recurring food crises

Recent trends in food prices—higher levels and higher volatility—mirror trends predicted by a number of experts. Given the complex web of factors influencing global food security, governments of developed and developing countries, as well as ...

Mar 2011
AquaFUELs Roundtable – Conference Review

The AquaFUELs project intends to give an overview of research, assess if improved sustainability can be delivered through current research (lifecycle analysis) and identify the needs for further research. Additionally, AquaFUELs will structure relations between ...

Feb 2011
The growing demand for land. Risks and opportunities for smallholder farmers

In many countries of Africa, Asia and South America, over the past few years there has been a rapid increase in the demand by foreign and domestic investors for land suitable for agriculture. Large-scale investments ...

Feb 2011
The Energy Report – 100% renewable energy by 2050

WWF has a vision of a world that is powered by 100 per cent renewable energy sources by the middle of this century. Unless we make this transition, the world is most likely to avoid ...

Feb 2011
Land deals in Africa: what is in the contracts?

Over the past few years, agribusiness, investment funds and government agencies have been acquiring long-term rights over large areas of land in Africa. Government concerns about food and energy security and private sector expectations of ...

Jan 2011
Sustainable land management in practice - Guidelines and best practices for Sub-Saharan Africa

This volume is a core knowledge product for the TerrAfrica platform, prepared under the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) leadership, and financed by the multi-donor TerrAfrica Leveraging Fund, the World Bank, FAO, Swiss Development Cooperation ...

Jan 2011
Making integrated food-energy systems work for people and climate

Integrated Food Energy Systems (IFES) aim at addressing these issues by simultaneously producing food and energy as a way to address the energy component of sustainable crop intensification through an ecosystem approach, as defined in ...

Jan 2011
Bioenergy, land use change and climate change mitigation

There is at present a lively public debate, as well as substantial scientific activity related to the sustainability of bioenergy, and in particular the sustainability of liquid biofuels. The debate concerns both environmental and socio-economic ...

Dec 2010
The impacts of biofuel targets on land-use change and food supply - A global CGE assessment

This study analyzes the long-term impacts of large-scale expansion of biofuels on land-use change, food supply and prices, and the overall economy in various countries or regions using a global computable general equilibrium model, augmented ...

Dec 2010
Invasiveness of biofuel crops and potential harm to natural habitats and native species

Several factors prompted the development of biofuel cropping within agroecosystems. These include a growth in population and energy demand, geopolitical instability linked to demand for fossil fuels, concerns about global warming and calls for 'carbon ...

Dec 2010
European Union and United States biofuel mandates - Impacts on world markets

This study seeks to clarify the interactions between different biofuel policy scenarios and their potential impacts on global agricultural markets and on the environment, particularly on production, trade, welfare, land use and CO2 emissions. The ...

Dec 2010
Development of strategies and sustainability standards for the certification of biomass for international trade

The "Development of strategies and sustainability standards for the certification of biomass for international trade" research project (short title: Bio-global) was carried out from Summer 2007 until Spring 2010.The study is based on the fact ...

Nov 2010
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
Biofuels production, trade and sustainable development

This document presents case studies from Pakistan, Costa Rica, South Africa and Ecuador that give a low- and middle-income country perspective on the potential for biofuel development. The focus is on the transport sector as ...

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
Biofuels, land rights and community-investor partnerships - Good practices and preliminary lessons learned in selected case studies in India, Thailand and Viet Nam

Over the past years, there has been a rapid expansion of biofuel development in many Asian countries. A number of governments are promoting biofuel programmes, mainly to achieve energy security, meet the increasing demand for ...

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
A decision support tool for sustainable bioenergy – An overview

Whether or not bioenergy can deliver on the objectives without creating new and additional pressures depends largely on the existence of a robust and inclusive national planning process and project design and management.Bioenergy has received ...

Sep 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 ...

Sep 2010
Algal biorefinery-based industry: an approach to address fuel and food insecurity for a carbon-smart world

Food and fuel production are intricately interconnected. In a carbon-smart society, it is imperative to produce both food and fuel sustainably. Integration of the emerging biorefinery concept with other industries can bring many environmental deliverables ...

Sep 2010
Advanced biofuel technologies - Status and barriers

Large-scale production of crop based (first generation) biofuels may not be feasible without adversely affecting global food supply or encroaching on other important land uses. Because alternatives to liquid fossil fuels are important to develop ...

Sep 2010
Beyond the talk: engaging stakeholders in bioenergy development – Bioenergy Issue Paper Series No.4

Ensuring that benefits of bioenergy development materialise and risks are mitigated requires robust policies and processes. Designing these policies and processes with a multi-stakeholder approach helps identify and address the risks, and different interests and ...

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
Energy poverty - How to make modern energy access universal?

Lack of access to modern energy services is a serious hindrance to economic and social development and must be overcome if the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are to be achieved. This report - which ...

Sep 2010
Criteria and indicators for sustainable woodfuels

Wood energy is the dominant source of energy for over 2 billion people, particularly in households in developing countries. Biofuels, especially fuelwood and charcoal, currently provide more than 14 percent of the world’s total primary ...

Sep 2010
Unravelling the ‘land grab’ - How to protect the livelihoods of the poor?

Land grabbing is a broad term, which in the current debates refers to the large-scale acquisition of land in developing countries by (foreign) companies or governments. These acquisitions have the positive potential to inject investment ...

Sep 2010
Current status and potential for algal biofuels production

It seems probable that growth in human population, future climate change effects on freshwater resources, which are already stressed in some regions, and eventual shortages of unutilized arable land will encourage the exploitation of microalgae ...

Aug 2010
Africa: up for grabs - The scale and impact of land grabbing for agrofuels

The African continent is increasingly being seen as a source of agricultural land and natural resources for the rest of the world.National governments and private companies are obtaining access to land across the continent to ...

Aug 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
Second-generation biofuels - Economics and policies

Recent increases in production of crop-based (or first-generation) biofuels have engendered increasing concerns over potential conflicts with food supplies and land protection, as well as disputes over greenhouse gas reductions. This has heightened a sense ...

Aug 2010

This IEA Bioenergy report seeks to examine the technical and economic feasibility of generating algal biomass for the production of liquid biofuels. As worldwide petroleum reserves diminish due to consumption exceeding discoveries while the demand ...

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
Placing the 2006/08 commodity price boom into perspective

The 2006-08 commodity boom was one of the longest and broadest of the post-WWII period. The boom - and especially the 2008 rally, when crude oil prices peaked at US$ 133/barrel (up 94 percent from ...

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
Global trends in sustainable energy investment 2010

In 2009, for the second year in a row, both the US and Europe added more power capacity from renewable sources such as wind and solar than conventional sources like coal, gas and nuclear.Renewables accounted ...

Jul 2010
Renewables 2010 – Global Status Report

Changes in renewable energy markets, investments, industries, and policies have been so rapid in recent years that perceptions of the status of renewable energy can lag years behind the reality. This report captures that reality ...

Jul 2010
Bioenergy and food security - The BEFS analysis for Tanzania

Serious concerns on the food security impacts, social feasibility and sustainability of bioenergy have arisen over time, especially with first generation bioenergy. In this context FAO set up the Bioenergy and Food Security (BEFS) project ...

Jul 2010
A USDA regional roadmap to meeting the biofuels goals of the Renewable Fuels Standard by 2022

As part of that larger conversation, USDA’s objectives for this report include: providing the practical knowledge from the field that can enhance various models for biofuel production, identify challenges and opportunities, and help develop solutions ...

Jun 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
Biofuels, land access and rural livelihoods in Mozambique

In recent years, global demand for biofuels has increased as a result of changing oil prices coupled with concerns over energy security and climate change. In Mozambique, private investors have expressed growing interest in biofuel ...

Jun 2010
Status of 2nd generation biofuels demonstration facilities in June 2010

Driven by the need to partly replace fossil transport fuels and by food versus fuel and highest possible GHG mitigation considerations, large efforts are dedicated to the development of technologies for the production of biofuels ...

Jun 2010
Making the most of agricultural investment: a survey of business models that provide opportunities for smallholders

Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in agricultural investment. In many cases, this new momentum has translated into large-scale acquisitions of farmland in lower- and middle-income countries. Partly as a result of sustained media ...

Jun 2010
Selection of a sustainability standard for pilot assessments of Jatropha producers in Mozambique

The project “Towards Sustainability Certification of Jatropha Bio-fuels in Mozambique” aims to build up knowledge for future certification of Jatropha bio-fuels through a benchmark pilot sustainability assessment using existing sustainability criteria frameworks.In order to do ...

May 2010
Analytical tools to assess and unlock sustainable bioenergy potential

Bioenergy development and energy planning strategy is a field that is subject to many factors: uncertainty, long timeframes and high investments, along with the need to satisfy multiple decision-makers with many conflicting criteria.Multiple criteria analytical ...

May 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
Next-generation biofuels - Near-term challenges and implications for agriculture

Next-generation biofuels refer to biofuels made using advanced technologies that greatly expand the potential to use widely available biomass, including woody biomass and wood waste; crop residues; dedicated energy crops such as switchgrass, energy cane, ...

May 2010
Mapping food and bioenergy in Africa

Bioenergy interest has gained much attention in the last years due to the positive issues that it can bring specially for developing countries but at the same time because of the many concerns on risks ...

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
Financing options for bioenergy projects and programmes

Modern bioenergy has been developing rapidly in the last several years and presents great opportunities for sustainable development and climate change mitigation. However, developing countries encounter difficulties in financing their bioenergy projects and programmes.This report ...

Apr 2010
UN-Energy - Looking to the Future

UN-Energy was set up in 2004, and this review finds that the original justification and rationale for its establishment still exists, and the case for clear, coherent and coordinated engagement by the United Nations family ...

Apr 2010
Development perspectives of the biobased economy: a review

This paper provides an outline of the biobased economy, its perspectives for agriculture and, more particularly, for development purposes.Possibilities of development of biobased products, advanced biofuels, and viable and efficient biorefinery concepts are explored. The ...

Apr 2010
Update: initiatives in the field of biomass and bioenergy certification

This background document is prepared in the frame of IEA Bioenergy Task 40 on sustainable international bioenergy trade and includes an overview and update on relevant certification initiatives and systems for biomass and bioenergy certification, ...

Apr 2010
Gain or pain? Biofuels and invasive species

Most current biofuels are produced from food crops that are well understood and have been domesticated for centuries. However, many plant species that are currently being developed or considered for biofuels are potentially invasive. Whether ...

Apr 2010
Global trade and environmental impact study of the EU biofuels mandate

This study was commissioned by the Directorate General for Trade of the European Commission (DG TRADE). The initial objective was to examine the potential economic and environmental impact of various EU trade policy options with ...

Mar 2010
Assessing the potential of bio-energy production in smallholder farming systems. The case of Nhambita community, Gorongosa District, Sofala Province

This report provides insight in the potential of bio-energy production and application within smallholder farming system in Mozambique. Analysts see Mozambique as a promising country for biomass production for bioenergy purposes. The recently approved National ...

Mar 2010
Investment contracts and sustainable development - How to make contracts for fairer and more sustainable natural resource investments

Negotiations for investment contracts can be extremely complex because they typically involve a large number of sophisticated and context-specific technical, legal, economic and financial issues.This guide provides the foundations for understanding general contractual issues and ...

Mar 2010
Sustainable production of commercial woodfuel: lessons and guidance from two strategies

Woodfuels (firewood - or fuelwood - and charcoal) are the most important energy source and the most important forest product for most developing countries. Commonly, woodfuels contribute from 50 to 90% of all energy consumed ...

Mar 2010
Energy use in the U.S. food system

Energy is an important input in growing, processing, packaging, distributing, storing, preparing, serving, and disposing of food. Analysis using the two most recent U.S. benchmark input-output accounts and a national energy data system shows that ...

Mar 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
RETRANS - Opportunities for the use of renewable energy in road transport - Policy makers report

The increasing energy use in the transport sector is adding also to the dependency of countries on oil imports. In the reference scenario of the IEA World Energy Outlook 2008 the transport sector is the ...

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
Water and bioenergy – UNEP bioenergy issue paper series No. 2

Bioenergy and water are inextricably linked. Water is an emerging issue of concern in the area of bioenergy development both in terms of quantity and quality. As a limiting factor, water will undoubtedly affect the ...

Feb 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
Community participation in biofuels crop production in Zimbabwe - A focus on the policy and practical aspects

The primary purpose of this policy and practice review publication is to assess the participation of community groups in biofuels production in Zimbabwe. The assessment is hypothetically based on the basis that monoculture farming for ...

Feb 2010
Jatropha: a smallholder bioenergy crop - The potential for pro-poor development

This publication reviews the information currently available on jatropha as a bioenergy crop, starting with the papers presented to the April 2008 IFAD/FAO International Consultation on Pro-Poor Jatropha Development held in Rome, Italy (IFAD 2008). ...

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
Principles for responsible agricultural investments that respect rights, livelihoods and resources

Many studies show that investment to increase productivity of owner-operated smallholder agriculture has a very large impact on growth and poverty reduction. The fact that investment to bring about such productivity increases in Africa has ...

Jan 2010
Bioenergy development - Issues and impacts for poverty and natural resource management

This report overviews recent developments in the consumption and production of bioenergy. It examines the main issues and possible economic implications of these developments and assesses their potential impact on land use and the environment, ...

Jan 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
Fundamentals of a sustainable US biofuels policy

The United States is investing billions of dollars each year in subsidies and tax breaks to domestic ethanol producers in the hope that biofuels will become a major plank of an energy security and fuel ...

Jan 2010
Fodder for war: getting to the crux of the natural resources crisis

The balance of State-people landholding is altering, with gradual or sudden surrender of state landlordism over lands which were never government’s to take. Observant forest-related agencies, for example, begin to note how slowly but surely ...

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
Perceptions on fairness and efficiency of the REDD value chain - Methods and results from pilot analyses in Indonesia and Peru

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) will require a ‘value chain’ that links global beneficiaries to local actions towards high carbon storing land use patterns. The value chain includes: effectively reducing emissions, a shift ...

Jan 2010
Contribution of energy services to the Millennium Development Goals and to poverty alleviation in Latin America and the Caribbean

The energy debate has one dimension that is often sidelined: its relationship with poverty and development. This document attempts to shed some light on this aspect, unnoticed when public policies are being formulated.The document describes ...

Jan 2010
Knowledge sharing for improved food security and better nutrition - Global forum on Food Security and Nutrition - FSN forum

The Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum) was created to strengthen FAO’s capacity in knowledge sharing. The Forum is an online community where members can share experiences, identify resources, provide peer coaching ...

Jan 2010
Meals per gallon - The impact of industrial biofuels on people and global hunger

According to the authors of this report, industrial biofuels would not offer a solution to the two main aims of EU biofuel policy – to combat climate change and increase fuel security. Rather, industrial biofuels ...

Jan 2010
Biofuels, land access and rural livelihoods in Tanzania

This report investigates and describes patterns of biofuel development in Tanzania. It looks at the spread and scale, crop use and different models of biofuel production through several case studies. It also outlines the challenges ...

Dec 2009
Implications of biofuel sustainability standards for Brazil

With the recent rising concerns regarding energy security and the environment, interest in biofuels has grown substantially. Consideration of biofuels has been due to their potential beneficial impact on energy security, mitigation of Greenhouse Gases ...

Dec 2009
Small scale sustainable farmers are cooling down the earth

Farmers -­‐ men and women -­‐ around the world are joining hands with other social movements, organizations, people and communities to ask for and to develop radical social, economic and political transformations to reverse the ...

Dec 2009
Global potential of sustainable biomass for energy

Through a review of existing data and literature, this report synthesizes the amount of information and its relative distribution in different fields.The report contains two main sections, organized around bioenergy issues including an information survey ...

Dec 2009
Biofuels 2010: spotting the next wave - Executive summary

One response to the threat of climate change would be to regulate the use of carbon fossil fuels with an externality tax or some other policy measure. Taxing fossil fuels would drive up the price ...

Dec 2009
Better use of biomass for energy - Position paper of IEA RETD and IEA Bioenergy

With this position paper, IEA RETD and IEA Bioenergy present key findings from a joint project on “Better Use of Biomass for Energy” which identifies opportunities• of bioenergy for better greenhouse-gas reduction, and• of climate ...

Dec 2009
Bioenergy – A sustainable and reliable energy source (main report)

The supply of sustainable energy is one of the main challenges that mankind will face over the coming decades, particularly because of the need to address climate change.Biomass can make a substantial contribution to supplying ...

Dec 2009
Global gaps in clean energy research, development, and demonstration

This paper, prepared in support of the Major Economies Forum (MEF) Global Partnership by the International Energy Agency, seeks to inform decision making and prioritisation of RD&D investments and other policies to accelerate low-carbon energy ...

Dec 2009
Cookstoves and markets: experiences, successes and opportunities

GVEP International’s vision to reach millions of men, women and children in rural and peri urban areas by focusing on market mechanisms is a challenge in itself. Energy access for the poor has multi-dimensional facets ...

Dec 2009
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
BioEthanol for Sustainable Transport. Results and recommendations from the European BEST project

This report is the conclusion of BEST – BioEthanol for Sustainable Transport – a four-year project to demonstrate the use of bioethanol in cars and buses at ten sites in Europe, Brazil and China. The ...

Dec 2009
The African land-grab: creating equitable governance strategies through codes-of-conduct and certification schemes

This paper examines two failed land acquisition processes for food and biofuels production in Africa with the aim to establishing more equitable governance strategies. More specifically it explores the roles of certification schemes and codes-of-conduct ...

Dec 2009
Green protectionism in the European Union: how Europe’s biofuels policy and the renewable energy directive violate WTO commitments

This paper examines the trade-policy consequences of current approaches in the European Union towards biofuels. The EU uses a broad range of measures to subsidise the production of biofuels in Europe and to protect them ...

Dec 2009
Perceptions on fairness and efficiency of the REDD value chain - Methods and results from pilot analyses in Indonesia and Peru

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) will require a ‘value chain’ that links global beneficiaries to local actions towards high carbonstoring land use patterns. The value chain includes: effectively reducing emissions, a shift in ...

Dec 2009
Implications of biofuel sustainability standards for Indonesia

Over recent years, as energy security and environmental concerns have risen, there has been a substantial interest in biofuels and their potential contribution to energy security, mitigation of GHGs in the transport sector and also ...

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
Examining the potential of biofuels for rural development and empowerment of women

Gender considerations come into play because in many developing countries the current lack of energy in rural areas has a disproportionate impact on women. They are the ones primarily responsible for collecting and managing traditional ...

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
Biochar land grabbing: the impacts on Africa

A new technology called “biochar” is being promoted as a major “geo-engineering” solution to global climate change, as well as a means of improving soils and addressing poverty. But this technology raises serious scientific and ...

Nov 2009
WBA position paper on global potential of sustainable biomass for energy

The purpose of the World Bioenergy Association (WBA) is to promote the increasing utilisation of bioenergy globally in an efficient, sustainable, economic and environmentally friendly way. One prominent item in the WBA Action Plan is ...

Nov 2009
Biofuels in Africa: growing small-scale opportunities

Global demand for climate-friendly transport fuels is driving vast commercial biofuels projects in developing countries. At the opposite end of the spectrum is small-scale bioenergy production. This offers a way for the poor to meet ...

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
Oilgae guide to algae-based wastewater treatment – Sample report

Algae are important bioremediation agents, and are already being used by many wastewater facilities. The potential for algae in wastewater remediation is however much wider in scope than its current role.The Oilgae Guide to Algae-based ...

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
2nd Joint International Workshop on Bioenergy, Biodiversity Mapping and Degraded Lands

This document consists of the report on the outcomes of the 2nd Joint International Workshop on Bioenergy, Biodiversity Mapping and Degraded Lands, prepared by Oeko-Institut and UNEP.The objectives of the workshop were to identify gaps ...

Nov 2009
Risk governance deficits - An analysis and illustration of the most common deficits in risk governance

This report on deficits in the risk governance process is a continuation of the development of IRGC’s approach to risk governance. Central to this approach is the IRGC Risk Governance Framework, intended to help policymakers, ...

Nov 2009
International and domestic trade regulations to secure the food supply

In a time of global warming, of financial crisis, and of a crisis in food availability we need to ask how the food supply can be secured into the future. The present article considers the ...

Nov 2009
Putting food on plates

Looking back through the mists of the credit crunch to the world before Lehman Brothers went bust, it is a little too easy to forget that food prices were making the news. From the end ...

Nov 2009
Development first: linking energy and emission policies with sustainable development for Brazil

Brazil is the tenth largest energy consumer in the world and the third largest in the Western Hemisphere, behind the United States and Canada. Over the past decade, Brazil has made great strides in increasing ...

Oct 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
Recommendations for improving the effectiveness of renewable energy policies in China

Growing recognition of the important role that renewable energy can play in tackling climate change and ensuring energy security has led to a rapid boom in the industry over the last five years. According to ...

Oct 2009
The promise of algae biofuels

To properly assess algae biofuels, there is a need to see the big picture—to develop the full life cycle of algae-to-biofuel production and analyze all potential impacts. This is especially important for a technology that ...

Oct 2009
Background paper: Chinese Renewables Status Report

This report was commissioned by REN21 as a background paper to its policy report on Recommendations for Improving the Effectiveness of Renewable Energy Policies in China.The report includes, among other, an overview of the Chinese ...

Oct 2009
Country Report Austria 2009 - IEA Bioenergy Task 40 - Sustainable international bioenergy trade: securing supply and demand

Austria is a small country located in Central Europe with a population of 8.3 million. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy ...

Oct 2009
Rainforest Alliance position on biofuels

Biofuels are fuels produced from biomass — renewable plant sources, including crops such as oil palm, soybean, sugar cane, and corn as well as wood, grass, woody plants and other grains or nuts. Whether in ...

Oct 2009
Foreign direct investment in the agricultural sector in Ethiopia

This paper will first give an overview on the development of FDI inflows into Africa in the recent years. The overview will show that FDI inflows have increased differently in the various parts of Africa ...

Oct 2009
Country report Belgium - IEA Bioenergy Task 40 - sustainable international bioenergy trade securing supply and demand

In 2007, the Flemish Region used 29.1 PJ biomass for energy purposes, and the Walloon Region 33.8 PJ. The total green electricity (biomass + other renewables) production in Flanders was 1640 GWh in 2007 (2.7% ...

Sep 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
Working for the climate - Renewable energy & the green job [R]evolution

Under the Energy [R]evolution scenario, renewable energy gains a much bigger share of the market through dynamic growth. At the same time, nuclear energy is phased out and the number of fossil fuel-fired power plants ...

Sep 2009
‘Land grabs’ in Africa: can the deals work for development?

For many millions in the developing world, land is central to livelihoods, food security, even identity – the result of a direct dependence on agriculture and natural resources. It is not surprising, then, that a ...

Sep 2009
Biorefineries: adding value to the sustainable utilisation of biomass

It is recognised by many countries that energy security, environmental concerns and the development of alternative, cleaner sources of chemicals and materials for manufacturing and user industries is becoming a driving imperative.These are just some ...

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
Industrial biotechnology - More than green fuel in a dirty economy?

Until now, most efforts to solve the climate crisis have focused on how to reduce the carbon footprint of our current economic system. However, this approach will not alone lead us onto the right path ...

Sep 2009
World Investment Report 2009 - Transnational corporations, agricultural production and development

World foreign direct investment flows fell moderately in 2008 following a five-year period of uninterrupted growth, in large part as a result of the global economic and financial crisis.While developed economies were initially those most ...

Sep 2009
Country Report 2009: Italy - IEA Bioenergy Task 40 - Sustainable International Bioenergy Trade

Bioenergy is a growing business for Italy. The use of biomass feedstock from agriculture (including energy crops) and agro-industrial residues is increasing; in 2007 the production of electricity from biomass and biogas increased by +3% ...

Sep 2009
State of the Argentine biodiesel industry - First Semester 2009 Report: International production rankings, increasing production levels, and ongoing international commercial disputes

The global biodiesel industry continues to evolve rapidly. European production seems to be shifting towards Eastern Europe (closer to its feedstock, rapeseed/canola); the U.S. industry appears headed to a contraction of as much as 40% ...

Sep 2009
Market of biomass fuels in Finland

This study considers the current situation of solid and liquid biomass fuels in Finland. The fact that industry consumes more than half of the total primary energy, widely applied combined heat and power production and ...

Aug 2009
Review by the Jatropha Alliance of the Swiss Aid Study: „Jatropha! – A socio-economic pitfall for Mozambique“

The study “Jatropha! – A socio-economic pitfall for Mozambique” prepared by Justiça Ambiental (JA) et União Nacional de Camponeses (UNAC) for Swiss Aid (referred in the following to as Swiss Aid Study) provides a very ...

Aug 2009
Country report: Brazil – IEA Bioenergy Task 40 – Sustainable bioenergy trade; securing supply and demand

Worldwide, few countries as Brazil have an energy matrix with such an important share of renewable energy sources: in 2007, almost 46% of its primary energy supply was covered by renewables, being the share of ...

Aug 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
Bioenergy – A sustainable and reliable energy source - A review of status and prospects – Executive summary

The supply of sustainable energy is one of the main challenges that mankind will face over the coming decades, particularly because of the need to address climate change.Biomass can make a substantial contribution to supplying ...

Aug 2009
Market of biomass fuels in Finland

Finland has long-standing traditions in the utilisation of biomass in energy production, and bioenergy plays an important role in the Finnish energy system. The country is one of the world’s largest importers of raw wood; ...

Aug 2009
Jatropha! A socio-economic pitfall for Mozambique

This study evaluates Jatropha production in Mozambique. It is believed that the current rush to develop Jatropha production on a large scale is ill-conceived, under-studied and could contribute to an unsustainable trade that will not ...

Aug 2009
Country report 2009 for Norway - IEA Bioenergy task 40

This report is a part of the work of IEA Bioenergy Task 40 working group-“Sustainable International Bioenergy Trade: Securing Supply and Demand” and gives a picture of the situation regarding bioenergy in Norway for the ...

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
Biofuels certification and the law of the World Trade Organization

This report assesses under what circumstances a biofuels-certification programme might be WTOcompatible.Part I describes biofuels policies. They provide a starting point for any analysis of the trade legitimacy of a biofuels programme. Part 2 introduces ...

Aug 2009
Bio-carbon in Africa: harnessing carbon finance for forestry & bioenergy

The chapters are organised in terms of the production cycle, beginning with two chapters on forest bio-carbon (which can “grow” carbon): one on policy options and the second on forest bio-carbon methodologies. The review then ...

Aug 2009
Use of biomass energy in cement production - Opportunities in Ethiopia

Biomass and biomass residues, if sourced in an environmentally and socially sustainable fashion, represent a vast – and largely untapped – renewable energy source for the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. This guide seeks to outline ...

Aug 2009
Increasing commercial pressure on land: building a coordinated response

The food price crisis of 2007-2008 brought to public attention a wave of large-scale acquisitions of land in developing and transition countries by foreign investors. The predominant investors in these deals have been governments and ...

Jul 2009
The potential for 1st generation ethanol production from sugarcane

Ethanol production from sugarcane (mainly in Brazil) on the basis of “1st generation technology” (22.5 billion liters per year in 3.4 million hectares) replaces 1% of the gasoline used in the world today and is ...

Jul 2009
Re-Impact: forest based bioenergy for sustainable development in developing counties

Re-Impact (Rural Energy Production from Bioenergy Projects) is a project funded by the European Union Aid Cooperation office which is promoting a sustainability assessment framework for bioenergy project focussed on rural development in developing countries. ...

Jul 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
Jatropha oil – The end of the biodiesel food vs fuel debate?

Jatropha has been hailed as the high-productivity crop to replace food crops such as soy or rape as sources of vegetable oil for biodiesel.This article reviews how jatropha oil production has developed recently and assesses ...

Jul 2009
Building capacity to monitor compliance with biofuel sustainability standards - White paper #2: Existing and emerging tools and approaches

The substantial and growing interest in biofuels as a potential contribution to improving energy security, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and in delivering rural economic development benefits has been challenged in recent years by non-governmental organizations ...

Jul 2009
Induced market disturbances related to biofuels

The current market introduction of biofuels coincides with significant price increases on other commodity markets. However it is not clear to what extend biofuels really cause an increased demand for raw materials and thus an ...

Jul 2009
Commercial pressures on land: rethinking policies and practice for development

Over the past few years the demand for land has been boosted by global economic trends - among which energy and food needs are playing major roles – that significantly increased its commercial value. Profit ...

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
Global trends in sustainable energy investment 2009

The drivers that have propelled investment in the sustainable energy sector so dramatically for the past five years are still at work – climate change, energy insecurity, fossil fuel depletion, new technologies etc. There is ...

Jun 2009
US trade policies on biofuels and sustainable development

In recent months, many developments have led to questions about US energy policies, in particular those concerning biofuels. Globally, some commodity price reductions appear to be likely, but global food prices remain high, economic slowdowns ...

Jun 2009
Analysis of opportunities for biofuel production in sub-Saharan Africa

Within the developing world, and especially Africa, biofuels, are regarded as a potential mechanism to stimulate agricultural development, create jobs and save foreign exchange. In reaction to the initial euphoria about biofuels as a carbon-neutral ...

Jun 2009
Technical and economic assessment of thermal processes for biofuels

A comprehensive technical and economic assessment of the current status and future prospects for biofuels product from biomass by thermal processing has been carried out. These are known as Biomass To Liquids or BTL processes.This ...

Jun 2009
Biofuels subsidies and the law of the WTO

In recent years, biofuels have been eagerly embraced by governments as a home-grown solution to a range of complex policy challenges, including climate change, dependence on foreign energy, and rural development. Biofuels have also been ...

Jun 2009
EU support for biofuels and bioenergy, environmental sustainability criteria, and trade policy

This paper provides a description of the EU’s biofuel policies, set in the context of its overall policy framework on renewable and bioenergy, and their interface with the WTO legal system.

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
Global status report on local renewable energy policies – Working draft

City and local governments can play a key role in encouraging renewable energy at the local level. The multiple roles of these local governments as decision-makers, planning authorities, managers of municipal infrastructure, and role models ...

Jun 2009
Land grab or development opportunity? Agricultural investment and international land deals in Africa

Large-scale acquisitions of farmland in Africa, Latin America, Central Asia and Southeast Asia are making headlines in a flurry of media reports across the world. Lands that only a short time ago seemed of little ...

Jun 2009
Biofuels subsidies and the law of the WTO

The growth of biofuel production has also attracted attention for its negative impact on global food prices. Less attention has been paid, however, to the broader trade and economic impacts of the subsidies and incentives ...

Jun 2009
The water footprint of biofuels: a drink or drive issue?

Ensuring inexpensive and clean water is an overriding global challenge noted as one of the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations. This challenge will likely be intensified by the increasing demand for biomass-derived fuels ...

Jun 2009
Country report: United States - IEA Task 40: Sustainable International Bioenergy Trade: Securing Supply and Demand

The main barrier for biomass is sustainable production of feedstocks. While national assessments identify sufficient biomass resource to meet the production targets, much of that resource is inaccessible because of unfavorable economics that result from ...

Jun 2009
A global overview of vegetable oils, with reference to biodiesel - A Report for the IEA Bioenergy Task 40

There are various factors that affect the feedstock and market for vegetable oils, such as:i) Increasing demand sparked off by higher consumption of edible oils, particularly in emerging countries. For example, according to USDA, between ...

Jun 2009
Algae-based biofuels: a review of challenges and opportunities for developing countries

Algae have recently received a lot of attention as a new biomass source for the production of renewable energy. Some of the main characteristics which set algae apart from other biomass sources are that algae ...

May 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
Jatropha: wonder crop? Experience from Swaziland

The search for alternatives to fossil fuel has seen a rush towards biofuels. This is contributing to rising food prices and increasing concern about our ability to grow enough food and fuel. Despite social and ...

May 2009
Renewables Global Status Report 2009 - Update

This “Update” edition of the Renewables Global Status Report is the fourth in a series launched in 2005. It provides an integrated picture of the global renewable energy situation, unfolding in the midst of a ...

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
A thirst for distant lands: foreign investment in agricultural land and water

There has been a recent surge of interest in foreign investment in agricultural land. The purchase or long-term lease of agricultural land for food production, predominantly by state-owned and private investors from Arab and wealthy ...

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
Biofuels: could the South benefit?

Further biofuel expansion in the North will mean a small increase in global food prices and poverty. On these grounds alone, there is reason to reduce the targets in OECD countries. If, on the other ...

Apr 2009
Ensuring green growth in a time of economic crisis: the role of energy technology

Despite the severity of the financial and economic crisis, it cannot be allowed to distract us from addressing critical and strategic climate change and energy challenges. The energy sector produces 60% of global greenhouse gas ...

Apr 2009
LCA studies for the harmonization of international biofuels sustainability assessment

A considerable amount of Life Cycle Analysis (LCAs) studies has been conducted for the assessment of biofuels production in Europe and in other parts of the world. Their purpose is the investigation and valuation of ...

Apr 2009
The market and food security implications of the development of biofuel production

With the prospects of higher energy requirements in the longer term and the need for reducing GHG emission, biofuel production could be an important source of sustainable energy supply although it will only represent a ...

Apr 2009
Making sustainable biofuels work for smallholder farmers and rural households - Issues and perspectives

In developing countries, liquid biofuel production (LBP) - particularly if small in scale – offers potential opportunities for poverty reduction and rural development, through the creation of both income-generating opportunities for farmers and jobs for ...

Apr 2009
Sowing the seeds of prosperity: developing bioenergy technology to alleviate smallholder farmer poverty

The challenges facing the Developing World’s rural poor are formidable. Not only must these agricultural societies become more productive in supplying food, they must also find a way to produce the jobs and incomes needed ...

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
Women raise their voices against tree plantations - The role of the European Union in disempowering women in the South

In order for raw materials and the products made from them to be produced and made available to the European public, a series of trade policies are formulated to promote the “development” of different corporations ...

Mar 2009
Biofuels and food security - Implications of an accelerated biofuels production - Summary of the OFID study prepared by IIASA

The year 2008 will perhaps be remembered as the defining moment when the world experienced the reality of the inter-linkages and interdependencies between food and energy. A number of factors including the adoption of mandatory ...

Mar 2009
ITTO/IUCN Guidelines for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in tropical timber production forests

Since 1991 ITTO has adopted several set of guidelines for forest managers and policymakers, including on natural production forests, planted forests, the restoration, management and rehabilitation of degraded and secondary tropical forests, and fire management. ...

Mar 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
Is oil palm the next emerging threat to the Amazon?

Oil palm is one of the world’s most rapidly expanding crops. Despite the recent economic slowdown, burgeoning demand for palm oil remains an important driver of deforestation in Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia ...

Mar 2009
Thailand biofuels’ impact on food crops

Biofuel consumption increased significantly in 2008 as petroleum prices reached a record high.The run-up in crude oil prices left gasohol and biodiesel as cheaper options for Thai consumers. Attractive prices for E10 (a mixture of ...

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
Rapid assessment on biofuels and the environment: overview and key findings – Executive Summary

The Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) of the International Council for Science (ICSU) established the International SCOPE Biofuels Project to provide a comprehensive and objective, science based analysis of the effects of ...

Mar 2009
Biofuels in Asia - An analysis of sustainability options

The purpose of this report is to provide an objective and comprehensive regional analysis summarizing the benefits and risks of biofuels development in Asia, and examining the distribution and use of biofuels through the lens ...

Mar 2009
Study of the effects on employment of public aid to renewable energy sources

Europe’s current policy and strategy for supporting the so-called “green jobs” or renewable energy dates back to 1997, and has become one of the principaljustifications for U.S. “green jobs” proposals. Yet an examination of Europe’s ...

Mar 2009
Biofuel industry study, Tanzania - An assessment of the current situation

The biofuel industry in Tanzania is still in a nascent stage, with various companies, both Tanzanian and international, active at various stages. Tanzania has been inundated by foreign investors since 2006, most from the EU ...

Mar 2009
Framework and guidelines on land policy in Africa

In 2006, the AUC, the UNECA and the AfDB initiated a process for the development of a framework and guidelines for land policy and land reform in Africa with a view to strengthening land rights, ...

Mar 2009
Annual Report 2008

The IEA Bioenergy 2008 Annual Report includes a special feature article 'Biorefineries: Adding Value to the Sustainable Utilisation of Biomass' prepared by Task 42.The Annual Report also includes a report from the Executive Committee and ...

Mar 2009
Energy from waste - Summary and conclusions from the IEA Bioenergy ExCo56 Workshop

This publication provides a synopsis from the workshop ‘Energy from Waste’ held in conjunction with the 56th meeting of the Executive Committee of IEA Bioenergy in Dublin on 12-13 October 2005.Solid waste derived from the ...

Mar 2009
Sustainable bioenergy: current status and outlook

The study is based on the fact that the production of renewable raw materials (biomass) and their application range are significantly increasing at present as a result of ambitious growth objectives adopted in Germany, the ...

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
A review of the potential of marine algae as a source of biofuel in Ireland

This report, commissioned by Sustainable Energy Ireland, provides an overview of algae as an energy resource, from either marine macroalgae or microalgae. It is also assess the potential resource in Ireland, determine the level of ...

Feb 2009
Road map to the commercialization of next-generation biofuels – Part I

First-generation ethanol and biodiesel production in the U.S. expanded significantly during the period from 2000 to 2008, with ethanol production capacity tripling, according to the Renewable Fuels Association, while the National Biodiesel Board notes that ...

Feb 2009
Will the ethanol mandate drive up the cost of transportation fuel?

The Energy Policy Research Foundation, Inc. (EPRINC) evaluates in this report the consequences to the U.S. transportation fuel sector of increasing the volume of ethanol in the U.S. gasoline pool above current volumes -- now ...

Feb 2009
Profit at any cost: a battle between big business and sustainable lifestyles

The spread of agrofuels is happening fast in Ghana. Jatropha and even more rapidly sugarcane have been expanding following success with small plantations in 2001. Initially the aim was the domestic market but now the ...

Feb 2009
Synergies and competition in bioenergy systems - Summary and conclusions

The use of renewable energy sources in general, and bioenergy in particular, is rapidly expanding in response to the ambitions of governments around the world to meet environmental and energy security objectives. Among the various ...

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
Small-scale bioenergy initiatives: brief description and preliminary lessons on livelihood impacts from case studies in Asia, Latin America and Africa

This report is based on a series of 15 International Case studies conducted between September and November 2008 under a joint initiative between FAO and the PISCES Energy Research Consortium funded by DFID. The case ...

Jan 2009
Microalgae technologies and processes for biofuels/bioenergy production in British Columbia - Current technology, suitability and barriers

Extensive review of the literature and information obtained from industry insiders resulted in the identification of cost parameters for expected biomass yields, algal oil content, capital, labour and operational costs. A thermodynamic model was developed ...

Jan 2009
Unintended environmental consequences of a global biofuels program

Biofuels are being promoted as an important part of the global energy mix to meet the climate change challenge. The environmental costs of biofuels produced with current technologies at small scales have been studied, but ...

Jan 2009
EEA Signals 2009 - Key environmental issues facing Europe

Signals is published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) at the start of each year and provides snapshot stories on issues of interest both to the environmental policy debate and the wider public for the ...

Jan 2009
Struggle for the Amazon: capitalist project x worker and local communities project

This document compiles texts from scholars and social militants, covering some of the issues about the Amazon, which we are interested in spreading, discuss and look at the facts in depth about this reality.The texts ...

Jan 2009
Annual Energy Outlook 2009 - Early release overview

The AEO2009 reference case includes greater use of renewable energy than the AEO2008 reference case.Total consumption of marketed renewable fuels—including wood, municipal waste, and biomass in the end-use sectors; hydroelectricity, geothermal, municipal waste, biomass, solar, ...

Jan 2009
Smart choices for biofuels

Much of the strong support for biofuels in the United States is premised on the national security advantages of reducing dependence on imported oil. In late 2007, these expected payoffs played a major role in ...

Jan 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
World in transition: future bioenergy and sustainable land use

The incipient global bioenergy boom is giving rise to vigorous and strongly polarized debate. Different underlying aims, such as reducing dependenceon imported oil and gas or using biofuels to reduce the CO2 emissions of road ...

Jan 2009
The feeding of the nine billion: global food security for the 21st century

Between mid-2007 and mid-2008, the issue of rising global food prices moved to the very forefront of the international political agenda. Tens of millions more people were pushed into hunger and poverty as a result; ...

Jan 2009
Corn stover for ethanol production: potential and pitfalls

Designing a renewable fuel production system that is truly sustainable will require a comprehensive but flexible framework of environmental safeguards and a concerted effort to collect improved information about the environmental performance of biomass-derived fuels ...

Jan 2009
Energy, development and security - Energy issues in the current macroeconomic context

Current energy systems are failing to meet the needs of the world’s poor. Worldwide, 2.6 billion people rely on traditional biomass for cooking and 1.6 billion people – about a quarter of the human race ...

Jan 2009
A bottom-up assessment of land use related to corn ethanol production

Land use change can be determined according to several methods including a) conducting a census, b) using economic indicators, and c) using remote sensing. Several economic models (global equilibrium models such as GTAP) use land ...

Dec 2008
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
Access to sustainable energy sources on a local level – Expert analysis and study on the current policy issues - Summary report

With their forthcoming presidency of the EU in 2009, the Czech Republic has decided to give priority in development policy to ‘Access to Sustainable Energy Sources at the Local Level.’ In preparation for 2009, the ...

Dec 2008
Agrofuels in South Africa - Projects, players and poverty

The South African government has readily embraced the establishment of an agrofuels industry, citing job creation, the need for clean and renewable energy and the creation of markets for small-holder farmers, as key motivators.Agrofuel production ...

Dec 2008
GMOs in South Africa

As the idea of “peak oil” becomes a stark reality, humankind is frantically searching for alternative sources of energy to fuel the consumer-addicted lifestyles of the elite. With the dwindling supply of fossil fuels in ...

Dec 2008
Integration of agricultural and energy systems

Massive production of energy, mainly liquid fuels, from agricultural resources will link agricultural and energy markets, tightly. The new market integration is perhaps the most fundamentally important change to occur in agriculture in decades. The ...

Dec 2008
The palm oil financing handbook - Practical guidance on responsible financing and investing in the palm oil sector

The aim of this handbook is to:• help financial institutions to reduce the environmental and social risks associated with transactions in the palm oil sector;• enable more sustainable palm oil production.The how-to guidance focuses on ...

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
Implementing sustainable bioenergy production - A compilation of tools and approaches

In recent years, concerns about energy security, climate change and support for rural development have climbed rapidly up political agendas, both in developing and industrialised countries.As a number of sustainability schemes develop principles and criteria ...

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
Country responses to the food security crisis: nature and preliminary implicatio

A number of factors have contributed to raising food prices. On the demand side, food consumption expanded rapidly in developing countries as a result of strong global economic growth in 2004-07. A dietary transition from ...

Dec 2008
Ethanol USA

Environmental, social, economic, and food issues brought on by the rapidly expanding ethanol-from-corn industry in the United States are reviewed and discussed.The U.S. and many other countries got on an “irrational exuberance” trip with biofuels ...

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
Biofuels - At what cost? - Government support for ethanol and biodiesel in Indonesia

This report examines government support for biofuels in Indonesia, which began with the announcement of a new biofuels plan in 2006. Current policies supporting biofuels came bundled together with the Energy Security Act under which ...

Dec 2008
From 1st- to 2nd-generation biofuel technologies - An overview of current industry and RD&D activities

In order to move away from sole dependence on food crops towards the conversion of lignocellulosic feedstocks to bioethanol, synthetic diesel and aviation fuels, the necessary transition from 1st- to 2nd-generation biofuels will require major ...

Nov 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
Biofuels, food security and compensatory subsidies

CEPEA/ESALQ/USP (the Center for Advanced Studies on Applied Economics, Brazil) has recently evaluated the economic and financial viability of both ethanol and biodiesel production in Brazil using both Value Chain Analyses and Linear Programming Optimizations ...

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
Food, farmers and fuel: balancing global grain and energy policies with sustainable land use

The public debate on agrofuels changed dramatically over the past year. What started out as an intriguing proposal on an apparently innovative alternative fuel source quickly turned into an important and contentious topic of international ...

Nov 2008
Certified unsustainable? - Observations on the first three RSPO certificates

The RSPO was set up in response to major public concern about deforestation for palm oil.Apart from environmental criteria, it also aims to address concern about human rights abuses, evictions, land-grabbing and intolerable working conditions, ...

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
The Government response to the king review of low-carbon cars

The Eddington Study in 2006 showed the importance of mobility to business and the general public. Good transport systems are crucial to our economic prosperity and competitiveness, to our quality of life, and to the ...

Nov 2008
Biofuels - At what cost? - Government support for ethanol and biodiesel in China

This report examines the historical development and current status of the biofuel industry in China, focusing on government policies to support production and consumption. The analysis forms part of a multi-country effort by the Global ...

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
Water implications of biofuel crops: understanding tradeoff¬s and identifying options

Biofuels are being touted as a solution to rising fuel prices, growing energy demands, and the need to curb emissions of greenhouse gases. Governments have good reasons for promoting biofuels. Yet, a headlong rush into ...

Nov 2008
The palm oil financing handbook. Practical guidance on responsible financing and investing in the palm oil sector

How can banks and investors reduce their risks in the palm oil sector? How can financial institutions encourage sustainable palm oil production? These two questions are the starting point for The Palm Oil Financing Handbook, ...

Nov 2008
Sugarcane-based bioethanol: energy for sustainable development

Biofuel production started to attract growing attention in the early 2000s because of mounting interest in the development of cleaner and renewable energy sources: biofuels were seen as part of the drive to move beyond ...

Nov 2008
The role of agricultural biotechnologies for production of bioenergy in developing countries - Background document

The role of agricultural biotechnologies for production of bioenergy in developing countries - Background documentThe FAO Biotechnology Forum is hosting an e-mail conference entitled "The role of agricultural biotechnologies for production of bioenergy in developing ...

Nov 2008
Bioenergy in Europe - Implementation of EU directives and policies relating to bioenergy in Europe and RD&D priorities for the future

In 2006-2007, members of the Bioenergy Network of Excellence carried out this study of major European Union directives and policies related to the development of bioenergy in Europe.The report analyses the implementation of important EU ...

Nov 2008
Agrofuels in Brazil - What is the outlook for its farming sector?

This study of Brazilian agrofuels deals separately with ethanol and biodiesel. In spite of overlaps which will be discussed in the text and which are likely to increase with time ethanol and biodiesel are governed ...

Nov 2008
Summaries of analyses in 2008 of biofuels policies by international and European technical agencies

Since January 2008, international institutions, national technical agencies, and major international scientific organizations have released ten major reviews of biofuel policies. This brief summarizes their conclusions, which include: World land use competition means liquid biofuels are ...

Nov 2008
Bioenergy and pastoralism: challenging the wastelands myth

Drynet commissioned this discussion paper, prepared and researched by SOS Sahel International UK, to clarify the problem and identify the key issues and options for pastoralists and governments.To some, Africa’s drylands represent the last agricultural ...

Oct 2008
Biofuels and the underlying causes of high food prices

There are several explanations to the sharp price increase. One of the first rules of economics is that prices are determined by supply and demand, but the classical ideal market assumption and the fall of ...

Oct 2008
Sustainable bioenergy development in UEMOA Member Countries

This report, led by the UN Foundation, in partnership with the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, the Energy and Security Group and the Global Bioenergy Partnership, identifies opportunities, assesses constraints, identifies trade-offs, and ...

Oct 2008
Statement by the director-general on the occasion of the launch of SOFA 2008

This document contains the statement made by the director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Jacques Diouf, on the occasion of the launch of SOFA 2008.

Oct 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
U.S. corn growers: producing food & fuel

Accelerated growth in corn use for ethanol has led critics to question corn growers’ ability to satisfy demand for both renewable fuels and traditional markets such as livestock and poultry feed, food processing and exports.Skeptics ...

Oct 2008
Energy [r]evolution 2009 - A sustainable global energy outlook

Global market for renewables is booming. Decades of technical progress have seen renewable energy technologies such as wind turbines, solar photovoltaic panels, biomass power plants, solar thermal collectors and many others move steadily into the ...

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
2008 Report - Goals of bioenergy in Italy - Key elements for 2020 objectives

In 2004 ITABIA drafted, on behalf of the Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea (MATTM), a comprehensive report on “Biomass for Energy Production and the Environment”, which not only provided statistical data on ...

Oct 2008
Seized! The 2008 land grab for food and financial security

Today’s food and financial crises have, in tandem, triggered a new global land grab. On the one hand, “food insecure” governments that rely on imports to feed their people are snatching up vast areas of ...

Oct 2008
Bioenergy and land tenure

Biomass has been used for energy since the early days of humanity. Today, 52% of the population of the developing world, including 575 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, rely on traditional biomass, particularly fuelwood and ...

Oct 2008
Life as commerce: the impact of market-based conservation on indigenous peoples, local communities and women

Global deforestation has accelerated to unprecedented rates since the inception of ‘forest’ certification – as has the destruction of agricultural land and natural areas, as new tree plantations have been established.Meanwhile, in an attempt to ...

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
The state of food and agriculture in Asia and the Pacific region

The growing importance of biofuels is a major challenge and an opportunity for the sector. Biofuels production has grown from 1 million hectares seven years ago to 25 million hectares today. If petroleum prices remain ...

Oct 2008
RFA Quarterly Report: 15 April - 14 July 2008

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 ...

Oct 2008
Malaysian palm oil - Green gold or green wash? - A commentary on the sustainability claims of Malaysia’s palm oil lobby, with a special focus on the State of Sarawak

The objective of this report is to inform decision makers about the serious sustainability challenges in Malaysia’s palm oil sector and to call up on them to take appropriate actions to address these challenges. The ...

Oct 2008
World in transition: future bioenergy and sustainable land use - Summary for policy-makers

The incipient global bioenergy boom is giving rise to vigorous and strongly polarized debate. Different underlying aims, such as reducing dependence on imported oil and gas or using biofuels to reduce the CO2 emissions of ...

Oct 2008
The challenge of biofuels

It is difficult to know how much ethanol will be needed in countries that already adopted blend mandates but it is estimated at least 1 billion gallons.Brazil already replaces 20–25% of its gasoline with ethanol, ...

Oct 2008
Biofuels. Big potential for some...but big risks too

Record breaking oil prices have reinforced an existing push to reduce dependence on foreign oil, and a number of countries are turning to biofuels as a means of enhancing energy security. Concerns about climate change ...

Oct 2008
Corn – Distillers Grains - Value-added feed source for beef, dairy beef, dairy, poultry, swine, sheep

The rapid growth of the dry grind ethanol industry has resulted in larger supplies of Distillers Grains (DG) than ever before. This information document provides an overview of the advantages of corn distillers grain for ...

Sep 2008
Our daily bread - Without public investment, the food crisis will only get worse

During the eighteen months after January 2007, cereal prices doubled, setting off a world food crisis. In the United States, rising food prices have been a pocketbook annoyance. Most Americans can opt to buy lower-priced ...

Sep 2008
Fuelling destruction in Latin America - The real price of the drive for agrofuels

Rapid expansion in the use of agricultural crops as a transport fuel has been justified in Northern countries as a predevelopment policy that will help bring developing countries out of poverty. The agrofuels boom, it ...

Sep 2008
Fact sheet on biofuels

The aim of IUCN’s work on energy is to accelerate society’s transition to energy systems that are ecologically sustainable, socially equitable and economically viable.This document is a fact-sheet that collects concise information about biofuel and ...

Sep 2008
US national biofuels action plan

America has one-third of the world’s automobiles (230 million) and uses twenty-five percent of the world’s oil. The American economy depends on liquid transportation fuels, principally derived from petroleum, to power our cars, buses, trucks, ...

Sep 2008
Regional forum on bioenergy sector development: challenges, opportunities and way foward

Worldwide interest in producing biofuels from biomass is growing rapidly. There are several reasons for this, including:• Global warming associated with higher levels of GHG emissions• The onset of peak oil in a global economy• ...

Sep 2008
Agrofuels and the myth of the marginal lands

Terms such as “marginal lands” have entered not just the scientific but the wider political debate on agrofuels.Before considering what should be grown on marginal land, we need to define “marginal”. Land that might appear ...

Sep 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
Risk governance guidelines for bioenergy policies – Policy Brief and Executive summary

The International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) is an independent foundation based in Switzerland whose purpose is to identify and propose recommendations for the governance of emerging global risks.It appears to IRGC that, in at least ...

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
Call for an immediate moratorium on EU incentives for agrofuels, EU imports of agrofuels and EU agroenergy monocultures

The undersigned call for an immediate moratorium on EU incentives for agrofuels and agroenergy from large-scale monocultures including tree plantations and a moratorium on EU imports of such agrofuels. This includes the immediate suspension of ...

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
Biofuels - At what cost? - Government support for biodiesel in Malaysia

This report examines the history and status of the biofuel industry in Malaysia, focusing on government support policies. It forms part of a multi-country effort by the Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) to characterize and quantify ...

Sep 2008
The impact of rising food prices on the poor

This paper analyzes the household level impact of an increase in price of major tradable staple foods in a cross section of developing countries, using nationally representative household surveys. It finds that, in the short ...

Aug 2008
Agrofuel development in Ethiopia: rhetoric, reality and recommendations

Currently, Ethiopia’s economic and social development efforts are geared towards raising the country to a middle-income level within the coming 20 years. To this effect every sector pursues its own targets since the vision is ...

Aug 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
Rising energy prices and the economics of water in agriculture

Rising energy prices will alter water allocation and distribution. Water extraction and conveyance will become more costly and the demand for hydroelectric power will grow. The higher cost of energy will substantially increase the cost ...

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
Economic assessment of biofuel support policies

Government support of biofuel production in OECD countries is costly, has a limited impact on reducing greenhouse gases and improving energy security, and has a significant impact on world crop prices, according to a new ...

Jul 2008
OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2008-2017 - Highlights

The report is published annually, as part of a continuing effort to promote informed discussion of emerging market and policy issues. This edition of the Agricultural Outlook offers an assessment of agricultural markets covering cereals, ...

Jul 2008
G8 Hokkaido-Toyako Summit - Double jeopardy: responding to high food and fuel prices

For the first time since 1973, the world is being hit by a combination of record oil and food prices. Such record oil and food prices are a destabilizing element for the global economy because ...

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
A note on rising food prices - Policy research working paper

This paper considers that the rapid rise in food prices between 2002 and 2008 was a burden on the poor in developing countries, who spend roughly half of their household incomes on food. It examines ...

Jul 2008
Bioenergy and global food situation until 2020/2050

A number of coincidental global driving forces are converging to bring issues of climate change, long-run environmental sustainability of economic growth, and global food security and wellbeing to the forefront of policy thought and political ...

Jul 2008
Who-is-Who-and-Where in the biofuel field

The aim of this report is to lists persons and organisations active in the field of biofuels for transport and, as a result, form a “who is who and where” in the field of biofuels ...

Jul 2008
Comprehensive framework for action

On 29 April 2008, the Chief Executives Board (CEB) of the United Nations decided to establish a High-Level Task Force (HLTF) on the Global Food Crisis, under the leadership of the Secretary-General which brought together ...

Jul 2008
The boom beyond commodities – A new era shaping global food and agribusiness

The global food and agribusiness industry is set to undergo significant changes in the coming years. Increased demand for food and animal feed, as well as the growing use of crops of biofuels require greater ...

Jul 2008
Gaps in the research of 2nd generation transportation biofuels

This publication is the final report of Task 41, Project 2.Liquid transportation fuels derived from biomass reduce the dependence on crude oil imports and therefore increase the stability of national fuel markets. Most bioenergy systems ...

Jul 2008
Biomass, hot issue - Smart choices in difficult times

The use of biobased raw materials for energy and material has been brought into discredit in the past years. The use of bioenergy is repeatedly held responsible for the recent food crisis and for the ...

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
What’s driving food prices?

Written by Purdue University economists Wallace Tyner, Christopher Hurt and Philip Abbott, the study, What’s Driving Food Prices?, identifies three broad sets of forces driving food price increases.The first major section is an analysis of ...

Jul 2008
The value of carbon in China - Carbon finance and China’s sustainable energy transition

Renewable energy has achieved in China spectacular growth in recent years, making significant progress toward achieving policy targets for 2010, which were published last year. However, given the dramatic increases of total domestic energy consumption, ...

Jul 2008
Global trends in sustainable energy investment 2008

The 2008 edition of Global Trends shows that investment flows have not only continued to grow – more than 60% compared to 2006 – they have broadened and diversified, giving the sustainable energy sector greater ...

Jul 2008
Food and fuel prices - Recent developments, macroeconomic impact, and policy responses

Prepared by the Fiscal Affairs, Policy Development and Review, and Research Departments, International Monetary Fund (IMF), this report provides a first broad assessment of the impact of the surge in food and fuel prices on ...

Jun 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
The role of biofuels and other factors in increasing farm and food prices - A review of recent developments with a focus on feed grain markets and market prospects

This paper reviews various studies that have examined the relationship between corn used in ethanol production and corn prices. They suggest increased corn demand for ethanol could account for 25 to 50 percent of the ...

Jun 2008
Approaches and initiatives concerning sustainability criteria for bioenergy – Draft version

At its third meeting the GBEP Technical Working Group (TWG) decided to establish a GBEP Task Force to work towards the development of a voluntary international sustainability framework of principles for bioenergy. The result of ...

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
Food outlook - Global market analysis

Food Outlook is a biannual publication focusing on developments affecting global food and feed markets. The sub-title "Global Market Analysis" reflects this focus on developments in international markets, with comprehensive assessments and forecasts on a ...

Jun 2008
The global potential of bioenergy on abandoned agricultural lands

Converting forest lands into bioenergy agriculture could accelerate climate change by emitting carbon stored in forests, while converting food agriculture lands into bioenergy agriculture could threaten food security. Both problems are potentially avoided by using ...

Jun 2008
Report from the project: sustainable production of bioenergy from agriculture and forestry in central/eastern Nordic countries

One of the priorities of the Swedish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers 2008 is climate.The project was carried out during December 2007 – June 2008. One aim of the project was to contribute ...

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
Impact of climate change and bioenergy on nutrition

This paper, prepared for the High Level Conference on World Food Security: The Challenge of Climate Change and Bioenergy (Rome, 3-5 June 2008), explores the implications of climate change and rising bioenergy demand for nutrition. ...

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
Bioenergy and regional development in the Nordic Countries

The aim of the study is to provide a preliminary overview of the potential for the sustainable production of biomass and bioenergy, and an analysis of their possible regional impacts in the Nordic countries.Which Nordic ...

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
Review of solutions to global warming, air pollution, and energy security

This paper reviews and ranks major proposed energy-related solutions to global warming, air pollution mortality, and energy security while considering other impacts of the proposed solutions, such as on water supply, land use, wildlife, resource ...

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
The right to food and the impact of liquid biofuels

This study was conducted in the context of the project “Creating capacity and instruments to implement the right to adequate food” financed by the Government of Germany.The world is now facing a deep crisis caused ...

Jun 2008
Biofuels, neither saviour nor scam - The case for a selective strategy

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, ...

Jun 2008
Food vs.fuel

Eager to promote non-petroleum energy sources to reduce dependence on oil imports and slow global warming due to fossil fuel emissions, the United States, Brazil, and the European Union are promoting biofuels made from food ...

Jun 2008
Bioenergy and rural development in developing countries: a review of existing studies

Four broad types of studies on rural development and bioenergy technologies are identified. Within these four types, a number of existing studies are identified in this review in the context of developing a research focus ...

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
Why are current world food prices so high?

The progressive rise of food prices over the past two years is of global concern, affecting all persons, and especially the poorest. Having a clear perspective on the several causes of this price increase is ...

Jun 2008
Land use requirements of different EU biofuel scenarios in 2020

This study analysis the amount of land required to produce 10% biofuels for the EU in 2020. The study has been undertaken as part of a larger review commissioned by the UK government on the ...

Jun 2008
Annual Energy Outlook 2008 with projections to 2030

The Annual Energy Outlook 2008 (AEO2008), prepared by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), presents long-term projections of energy supply, demand, and prices through 2030. The projections are based on results from EIA’s National Energy Modeling ...

Jun 2008
Rising food prices: cause for concern

The current spike in food prices needs prompt reaction through various forms of social protection to avert poverty and hunger. Prices are soon likely to fall somewhat, but not to their previous levels. Higher prices ...

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
Anticipated and potential improvements in land productivity and increased agricultural inputs with intensification

This study addresses past and feasible future improvements in land productivity world-wide to 2020. It considers the main commodity crops and those yielding biofuel feedstocks. It also considers available information and views on maximum crop ...

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
Agrofuels between sustainability and development - Definitions, analysis and protagonists from the point of view of science and research

Recent press coverage has repeatedly pointed out the fact that world wide oil reserves are facing their inevitable decline. The “World Energy Outlook (WEO) 2007” report published by the International Energy Agency made waves with ...

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
Biofuels review: scenario development

The aim of this document is to develop scenarios for future global demand for different feedstocks for biofuels in 2010 and 2020. These can be used to derive land area requirement for biofuel production. The ...

May 2008
High food prices: the what, who, and how of proposed policy actions

The sharp increase in food prices over the past couple of years has raised serious concerns about the food and nutrition situation of people around the world, especially the poor in developing countries; about inflation; ...

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
The real cost of agrofuels: impacts on food, forests, peoples and the climate

Agrofuels, which rely on large-scale industrial monocultures, are a cause of global warming, not part of a solution. Promoted as a means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they are in fact resulting in greater emissions ...

May 2008
Energy Technology Perspectives 2008 - Scenarios & strategies to 2050 - Executive summary

The world needs ever increasing energy supplies to sustain economic growth and development. But energy resources are under pressure and CO2 emissions from today’s energy use already threaten our climate. What options do we have ...

May 2008
Land and vulnerable people in a world of change

Millennium Development Goal One, to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, cannot be reached unless the ability of women and men to maintain access to land and natural resources can be secured. Current global trends, however, ...

May 2008
Impact of Rising Food Prices - EU 27

Rising food and commodity prices have been the subject of heated political debate among the governing bodies of the European Union (EU). Since 1963, the EU Common Agricultural Policy has been the foundation of 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
The economics of ecosystems & biodiversity – An interim report

Biological diversity represents the natural wealth of the Earth, and provides the basis for life and prosperity for the whole of mankind. However, biodiversity is currently vanishing at an alarming rate, all over the world. ...

May 2008
Bioenergy and agro-biotechnology

Global population is expected to increase from 6.1 billion in 2000 to 7.6 billion in 2020, reaching 9.1 billion in 2050. With this growth in human population, there will be greater pressure on agricultural production, ...

May 2008
Biofuels research in the CGIAR - A perspective from the Science Council

Government policies, motivated by concerns about energy security, high oil prices, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and various vested interests, are driving the latest expansion in the global biofuels industry. This is most evident in Brazil, ...

May 2008
Biofuels review: advanced technologies overview

Examination of development potential for second generation biofuels by 2020 - E4Tech.In particular, this study analyzes GHG savings, development status, challenges and key players of different biofuel production paths. These include: Lignocellulosic ethanolSyndiesel or Biomass-to-Liquids (BTL)Hydrogenation ...

May 2008
Biofuels in Africa - An assessment of risks and benefits for African wetlands

Wetlands are areas on which water covers the soil or where water is present at or near the surface of that soil.Wetlands are a vital link in the African water cycle. They are a source ...

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
Fuelling exclusion? The biofuels boom and poor people’s access to land

This study aims to open up discussion of the way in which biofuels are likely to impact on access to land. Many observers and activists have raised concerns that the spread of biofuels may result ...

May 2008
Global agricultural supply and demand: factors contributing to the recent increase in food commodity prices

World market prices for major food commodities such as grains and vegetable oils have risen sharply to historic highs of more than 60 percent above levels just 2 years ago.Many factors have contributed to the ...

May 2008
Accelerating clean energy technology research, development, and deployment - Lessons from non-energy sectors

Climate change is receiving considerable and increasing attention worldwide as one of the key challenges for the century ahead. In 2007 several reports have been published that confirm and strengthen the evidence that climate change ...

May 2008
Aquatic biofuels

Currently around 2-3% of the world’s energy derives from agricultural biofuels - a figure which is predicted to increase especially with the recent rise in the cost of crude oil at US$135 (May 2008), per ...

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
Biofuels and sustainable development

Guiding biofuel development to realize its multiple potential benefits while guarding against its multiple risks requires the application of a similarly diverse set of tailored policy interventions, together with integrated efforts to assure that those ...

May 2008
The Conservation, Policy, Education and Science Committee’s (COPESCO) position on the use of agrofuels in Africa

The purpose of this position paper is to explore the means of sustaining both humans and wildlife while producing agrofuels as an alternative energy source in sub-Saharan Africa. Production of agrofuels must be approached in ...

May 2008
Soaring food prices - Response to the crisis

Soaring food prices have hit the poor hard. Along with record-high energy prices, these have seriously eroded the purchasing power of over-a-billion poor in Asia, increasing their food deprivation. These are threatening to undermine the ...

May 2008
Biofuels for transport – Part of a sustainable future? - Summary and conclusions from the IEA Bioenergy ExCo61 workshop

Biofuels can clearly play an important role in the future energy mix. Many models that point the way to a world energy mix which can reduce the worst impacts of climate change rely heavily on ...

May 2008
Biofuels run the risk of becoming invasive species

Many countries are currently looking at growing high-yielding crops for the production of biofuels as alternatives to traditional fuels (petrol and diesel) to address imminent energy shortages and reduce impacts of climate change. This usually ...

May 2008
Gender and equity issues in liquid biofuels production - Minimizing the risks to maximize the opportunities

The contribution of developing countries to global biofuels production has the potential to grow considerably in the future, giving rise to significant environmental impacts and leading to major socio-economic transformations. At the present time, much ...

Apr 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
The impact of biofuels on commodity prices

The purpose of this note is to review the existing research on the impact of biofuels on commodity and food prices.Over the last few years the rise in energy prices, the political tensions in some ...

Apr 2008
Soaring food prices: the need for international action

International prices of basic food commodities have increased rapidly over the last three years.Five reasons explain the increase in food prices. First, world cereal production fell by 3.6 percent in 2005 and 6.9 percent in ...

Apr 2008
Have recent increases in international cereal prices been transmitted to domestic economies? The experience in seven large Asian countries

A key question is the extent to which changes in world market prices have been transmitted to domestic economies in recent years, especially for cereals. The extent of transmission is important for at least two ...

Apr 2008
Agrofuels in India, private unlimited

GRAIN is an international non-profit organisation which promotes the sustainable management and use of agricultural biodiversity based on people’s control over genetic resources and local knowledge.This document is an extract on Indian agrofuels.Responding enthusiastically to ...

Apr 2008
World Economic Outlook – Housing and business cycle

In addition to problems within the financial sector, there are two main short-run vulnerabilities for the global economy, both of which the continuing deep correction in the U.S. housing market and the unresolved financial sector ...

Apr 2008
Rising food prices: a global crisis

Soaring food prices pose problems for three groups. First, the poor whose ability to buy food is undermined. Second, governments of low-income countries facing higher import bills, soaring costs for safety net programmes and political ...

Apr 2008
Rising food prices - Drivers and implications for development

This briefing paper focuses on what this important change means for international development.It starts by assessing the drivers of rising prices, noting that while in the short term the pressure is on the demand side, ...

Apr 2008
Oil palm – Position paper

Oil palm plantations have often imposed environmental and social costs due to indiscriminate forest clearing, habitat loss of threatened and endangered species, uncontrolled burning with related haze, and disregard for the rights and interests of ...

Apr 2008
Review of international assessments for the Canadian International Initiative on Agri-environmental Issues

This IISD report is an interpretive analysis of the findings of the three aforementioned assessments. It summarizes the results of each assessment (in the Annex) using agriculture as its reviewing lens and identifies and analyzes ...

Apr 2008
Biofuels – At what cost? - Government support for ethanol and biodiesel in Australia

The prospect of turning agricultural products into fuels has also generated ferment within the farming sector — both among crop farmers, who would benefit from higher prices, and livestock farmers, who are worried about the ...

Apr 2008
The sustainability of ethanol production from sugarcane

The rapid expansion of ethanol production from sugarcane in Brazil has raised a number of questions regarding its negative consequences and sustainability. Positive impacts are the elimination of lead compounds from gasoline and the reduction ...

Apr 2008
Harvesting harm: agrofuels as a false solution to climate change and poverty - Policy brief on the Inter-American Development Bank Agrofuels Strategy

Agrofuels have been proposed as a solution to global climate change and a potential development opportunity for Latin America and the Caribbean. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is now actively pursuing agrofuels as a clean ...

Apr 2008
A cool approach to biofuels

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is the UK charity working to secure a healthy environment for birds and all wildlife, helping to create a better world for everyone.This RSPB report calls ...

Apr 2008
Biofuels - Topping up the fuel mix – Project Report - 16 projects funded by the Intelligent Energy-Europe programme

Biofuels projects co-funded by the Intelligent Energy-Europe programme (IEE) aim to stimulate action at all levels, throughout the supply chain, across the European Union. The overall aim is to increase the production and use of ...

Apr 2008
Global monitoring report 2008: MDGs and the environment – Agenda for inclusive and sustainable development

This joint report prepared by the World Bank and IMF contains two main parts: monitoring the MDGs and a special focus on climate change.The upward pressure on food prices reflects the increasing use of corn ...

Apr 2008
Second FAO technical consultation on bioenergy and food security - Summary proceedings

An important constraint to bioenergy development will be water availability and use. At the present time the real cost of water, in particular that of maintaining and preserving the water resources upstream, is not being ...

Apr 2008
Ethanol and food prices – Preliminary assessment

Food prices in the U.S. rose dramatically in 2007 and early 2008. Given the integration of the world markets for foodstuffs, prices increased around the world as well, leading to riots in a number of ...

Apr 2008
Biofuel and global biodiversity

The current situation in agricultural commodity markets is unique; rarely in recent decades has the agricultural industry experienced sustained high prices for commodities.This creates a new set of environmental concerns, makes industrial agricultural production economically ...

Apr 2008
Sustainability as a smokescreen - The inadequacy of certifying fuels and feeds

This report provides an overview and assessment of existing or proposed schemes used to manage the risks for agrofuel production in Mercosur countries. In order to do this the report answers the following questions:1. What ...

Apr 2008
Food prices and inflation in developing Asia: is poverty reduction coming to an end?

For decades, food prices had been declining in real terms, allowing millions of people around the globe to escape from the trap of poverty. This long-term trend took place despite rapid income and population growth, ...

Apr 2008
Background: biofuels and bio-based chemicals - Appendix C of the Disruptive Civil Technologies report

The National Intelligence Council sponsors workshops and research with nongovernmental experts to gain knowledge and insight and to sharpen debate on critical issues.To support the development of the National Intelligence Council's Global Trends 2025, SRI ...

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
Opportunities and challenges of biofuel production for food security and the environment in Latin America and the Caribbean

As an agency dedicated to the generation, analysis and dissemination of knowledge and in response to the Kyoto Protocol, the Johannesburg Declaration of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and the Millennium Development Goals ...

Apr 2008
Private sector stakeholder consultation and dialogue on world food security and the challenges of climate change and bioenergy in preparation of the High-Level Conference on Food Security and the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy - Proceedings

Responding to the call by the UN-Secretary General in 2007 for a joint response by the UN system and its agencies to contribute to the combat against climate change and conscious that such change will ...

Mar 2008
Land use, bioenergy and agro-biotechnology

In this paper, the WBGU has posed five main framing questions to deal with genetically modified (GM) bioenergy crops:1) To what extent could biotechnology influence global sustainable plant production?;2) To what extent could biotechnology decrease ...

Mar 2008
A sustainable biofuels consensus

In the Rockefeller Foundation Study and Conference Center in Bellagio, Italy, a group of women and men, based in 12 different countries and heavily involved, from different perspectives, with biofuels met during 24-28 March 2008. ...

Mar 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
The ecological and social tragedy of crop-based biofuel production in the Americas

Biofuels have been promoted as a promising alternative to petroleum. Industry, government and scientific proponents of biofuels claim that they will serve as an alternative to peaking oil, mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas ...

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
Biofuels in the European context: facts and uncertainties

Together with other stakeholders, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) has been studying aspects relevant to biofuels in different contexts for a number of years. In order to provide an up-to-date analysis of policy issues and ...

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
Water footprint of bioenergy and other primary energy carriers

This report assesses the water footprint (WF) of bioenergy and other primary energy carriers. It focuses on primary energy carriers and expresses the WF as the amount of water consumed to produce a unit of ...

Mar 2008
Development policy stance on agrofuels – Discussion paper

This document contains a discussion paper of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development on the issue of international development of policy on agrofuels.Over the past few years, agrofuels have increasingly been used ...

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
Ethanol, mandates, and drought: insights from a stochastic equilibrium model of the U.S. corn market

The outlook for U.S. corn markets is inextricably linked to what happens to the U.S. ethanol industry, which depends, in turn, on the level of government subsidies and mandates.Historically, corn price volatility was caused primarily ...

Mar 2008
Agrofuels and land distribution: towards a rights based approach to food security

The publicity surrounding the topic of agrofuels has increased rapidly over the last few years. In part, this stems from the fact that the subject is embedded in a broad range of policy areas including ...

Mar 2008
Adaptation to climate change – Where do we go from Bali? - An analysis of the COP13 and the key issues on the road to a new climate change treaty

Adaptation to climate change featured very prominently during the Bali UN climate conference in December 2007. Given the accelerating threats of climate change in particular for developing countries, immediately increased adaptation efforts are needed.Now, after ...

Mar 2008
The use of environmental life-cycle analysis for evaluating biofuels

Life-cycle analysis (LCA), the methodology used to assess the impact of producing biofuels on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), may lead to flawed policy implications as it assumes that coefficients could be fixed rather than functions ...

Mar 2008
US baseline briefing book - Projections for agricultural and biofuel markets

This report presents a summary of ten-year baseline projections for US agricultural and biofuel markets.In November 2007, FAPRI analysts prepared a preliminary set of projections that were later reviewed at a workshop in Washington, DC ...

Mar 2008
Biofuel support policy costs to the U.S. economy

Current Federal law pays a fixed minimum of $0.51 per gallon for all ethanol blended with gasoline. Payments go to petroleum blenders in the form of a tax rebate. The recently enacted Energy Independence and ...

Mar 2008
Fertilizer outlook - Supply and demand trends

Like corn, beans and wheat, fertilizer is a commodity with price determined by tight supply and demand balance. Recently, U.S. fertilizer and nutrient prices have reached record highs and will trend higher as commodities remain ...

Feb 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
MERCOSUR Report n.12 2006-2007

Through this annual report, the Institute for the Integration of Latin America and the Caribbean of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB-INTAL) aims to facilitate access to information for a potential readership interested in MERCOSUR, spanning ...

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
Sustainability criteria and certification systems for biomass - Final report

The sustainability of biomass for energy and transport fuels has a warm attention in all strata of stakeholders and policy makers. The European Parliament, national initiatives, international working groups and a number of NGO advocate ...

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
Empty land? - The social and environmental impact of the Holterberg plantations

According to the authors, the idea to write a paper on the social and environmental impact of the Holterberg plantations, an old monoculture tree plantation in the Netherlands, surged at a strategy meeting organized by ...

Feb 2008
German Biomass Sustainability Ordinance - Commentary paper

In this document, the concept of life cycle analysis as a method of ecological assessment will be explained in detail in chapter 2 in order to introduce the proper discussion of the draft with regard ...

Feb 2008
Making certification work for sustainable development: the case of biofuels

Biofuels, fuels derived from biomass, are among the bioenergy alternatives which are being considered and are currently viewed, if carefully developed, as one of the means of slowing down the process of global warming and ...

Feb 2008
Biofuel expansion: challenges, risks and opportunities for rural poor people

On 2 January 2008, the cost of crude oil crossed US$100 a barrel for the first time, raising global concerns. Continuing near-record oil prices, fears of unaffordable and rapidly depleting sources of fossil fuel and ...

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
Biofuel production technologies: status, prospects, and implications for trade and development

Biofuels are drawing increasing attention worldwide as substitutes for petroleum-derived transportation fuels to help address energy cost, energy security and global warming concerns associated with liquid fossil fuels. The term biofuel is used here to ...

Feb 2008
Impact of biological and landscape diversity protection on wood availability in Europe

Biological and landscape diversity protection measures result in a range of possible impacts on the economic use of forest resources. With respect to wood, these impacts can be negligible – when protection does not lead ...

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
Sustainability criteria and certification systems for biomass production – Final report

The purpose of this study is to carry out an in-depth analysis of existing biomass production sustainability criteria and certification systems that have been developed and/or proposed by various organizations at European and International level ...

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
Life cycle assessment of biomass-to-liquid fuels

This study elaborates a life cycle assessment of using of BTL-fuels (biomass-to-liquid). This type of fuel is produced in synthesis process from e.g. wood, straw or other biomass. The life cycle inventory data of the ...

Feb 2008
Key messages from the expert meeting on bioenergy policy, markets and trade and food security and global perspectives on fuel and food security

This paper contains the 12 key messages/points for action, ranked in declining order of priority, proposed to Ministers for urgent consideration in their policy development and action by the expert meeting on bioenergy policy, markets ...

Feb 2008
Changing the climate. Ethanol industry outlook 2008

The 2008 edition of the Renewable Fuel Association’s Ethanol Industry Outlook is a catalog of important statistics for America’s ethanol industry, providing the most up-to-date graphs, charts and facts about the production and use of ...

Feb 2008
How good enough biofuel governance can help rural livelihoods: making sure that biofuel development works for small farmers and communities

The implementation of biofuel schemes can be compared to battles given the diversity and uncertainties of landscape conditions, and of the various and often diverging interests at play. In such contexts, power plays an important ...

Feb 2008
Where will biofuels and biomass feedstocks come from?

When it comes to biofuels we have a few choices and options – we can do it poorly, with short-run approaches with no potential to scale, poor trajectory, and adverse environmental impact, or we can ...

Feb 2008
Local and global consequences of the EU renewable directive for biofuels

On the 23 January 2008, the European Commission released its climate and energy policy package, including European targets for greenhouse gas reductions and shares of renewables for all EU Member States in 2020 (EC, 2008a). ...

Feb 2008
Greener vehicles: a state resource guide

The U.S. transportation sector is currently 97% dependent on oil. This heavy reliance on mostly imported oil leaves the U.S. vulnerable to supply interruptions, price fluctuations, economic instability, and consumer hardships. Yet there are core ...

Feb 2008
Biofuel feedstock assessment for selected countries

Findings from biofuel feedstock production assessments and projections of future supply are presented and discussed. The report aims to improve capabilities to assess the degree to which imported biofuel could contribute to meeting future U.S. ...

Feb 2008
Transportation fuels for the future

Technology solutions will be key to reducing the U.S. transportation system’s use of petroleum-based fuels. And, as those clean energy and energy efficiency technologies are developed and fielded, we need them to be domestic solutions ...

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
Biofuels, climate change and industrial development: can the tropical South build 2000 biorefineries in the next decade?

This perspective article is concerned with the potential of first-generation biofuels grown and processed in countries of the South to reduce their dependence on oil, to kickstart their industrial development, and at the same time ...

Jan 2008
Opinion: is growing biofuel crops a crime against humanity?

Is there a case to be made against biofuels, and are they really going to lead to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in Africa who will be forced to starve while their ...

Jan 2008
Cool farming: climate impacts of agriculture and mitigation potential

Agricultural practices have changed dramatically since the time of hunters and gatherers, which initially were related to land use change and changes in management practices like irrigation and tillage. Several historical greenhouse gas (GHG) anomalies ...

Jan 2008
Water implications of biofuels production in the United States

Among the possible challenges to biofuel development that may not have received appropriate attention are its effects on water and related land resources. The central questions are how water use and water quality are expected ...

Jan 2008
Carbon and sustainability reporting within the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation - Technical guidance

The Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) requires suppliers wishing to claim Renewable Transport Fuel Certificates (RTFCs) to provide a carbon and sustainability (C&S) report. This technical guidance describes how these reports are to be provided.Reporting is ...

Jan 2008
Status and outlook for biofuels, other alternative fuels and new vehicles

The global energy solutions in general are unsustainable, and the situation is the worst in the transport sector, which is almost totally dependent on crude oil. The demand for energy in transportation is growing. A ...

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
Biomass assessment - Assessment of global biomass potentials and their links to food, water, biodiversity, energy demand and economy

This report was commissioned by the Programme Scientific Assessment and Policy Analysis Climate Change (WAB). The report was internally reviewed by the members of the Steering Committee of the Programme Scientific Assessment and Policy Analysis.This ...

Jan 2008
Biofuels and implications for agricultural water use: blue impacts of green energy

Rising energy prices, geopolitics and concerns over the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on climate change are increasing the demand for biofuel production. At present biofuel production is estimated at 35 billion litres, accounting only ...

Jan 2008
The global potential of bioenergy on abandoned agriculture lands

Agricultural land dedicated to bioenergy crops is expanding rapidly (1), with multiple consequences for global climate, ecosystems, and food security. These consequences are closely tied to the land that is used for bioenergy crops. Using ...

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
Sustainable biofuels: prospects and challenges

There are three main drivers, at the national, regional and global levels, for the development of bioenergy and biofuels. These are: climate change, energy security and rural development. The political motivation to support biofuels arises ...

Jan 2008
Carbon and sustainability reporting within the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation - Summary

This document contains a summary of the recent Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) of the UK Government.The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation is one of the Government’s main policies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from road ...

Jan 2008
Guide to RFA operating processes for biofuel suppliers and traders

This guide is designed for directors, managers and staff of biofuel suppliers and others wishing to participate in the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). The RTFO imposes an obligation on fossil fuel suppliers to supply ...

Jan 2008
Net energy of cellulosic ethanol from switchgrass

Perennial herbaceous plants such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) are being evaluated as cellulosic bioenergy crops. Two major concerns have been the net energy efficiency and economic feasibility of switchgrass and similar crops. All previous ...

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
It ain’t easy being green: why biofuels may not be the answer

Given the push toward “green” technologies and the apparent environmental benefits, biofuels have gained a great deal of popularity, particularly among governments.For instance, the United States government has targeted a 20% reduction in the use ...

Jan 2008
Current status of bioenergy development in Indonesia

Because of the effects of high petroleum and natural gas prices, Indonesia is implementing national policies and legislation to encourage bioenergy production as a means to achieve energy security and self-sufficiency and to reduce reliance ...

Jan 2008
Are biofuels sustainable? - First report of session 2007–08

The inquiry ”Are biofuels sustainable?” has been launched on 25 July 2007 with the aim that the inquiry should:• examine the role biofuels might play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving fuel security;• explore ...

Jan 2008
National policies and strategies on bioenergy in Africa - Case study: the Gambia

The Republic of The Gambia is the smallest country in West Africa. With the exception of the Atlantic Ocean, The Gambia is totally enveloped by Senegal. Fuel wood is the dominant energy resource, accounting for ...

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
White paper on internationally compatible biofuel standards

This White Paper was drafted by an international task force consisting of experts on biofuels standards from the standardization bodies of the Tripartite Agreement amongst Brazil, the European Union and the USA. The executive summary ...

Dec 2007
Biofuels trade and sustainable development: an analysis of South African bioethanol

Decoupling economic activity from the consumption of fossil fuels is a prerequisite for sustained economic growth, if not survival. In the face of this challenge biofuels are once again being posited as a source of ...

Dec 2007
Biofuels trade and sustainable development: the case of Ecuador’s palm oil biodiesel

The debate on the advantages and disadvantages of biofuels production began by questioning the conditions in which biofuels were being produced in some countries.Its effects on the environment and on worker rights, its economic impacts, ...

Dec 2007
The world food situation

The world food situation is currently being rapidly redefined by new driving forces. Income growth, climate change, high energy prices, globalization, and urbanization are transforming food consumption, production, and markets. The influence of the private ...

Dec 2007
The state of food and agriculture 2007

Agricultural ecosystems are by far the largest managed ecosystems in the world. Of the total land area of about 13 billion hectares, crops and pasture occupy almost 5 billion hectares. Forests and woodlands add another ...

Dec 2007
Charcoal: the reality. A study of charcoal consumption, trade and production in Malawi

Natural resource management experts, government and its development partners have debated the charcoal trade for some time, but until now, there has been little solid evidence on the scale and scope of the subject. Lacking ...

Dec 2007
Biofuels trade and sustainable development: the case of Costa Rica

The significant rise in oil prices and uncertainty about the future behaviour of this product has given viability to alternative sources of energy which were not profitable in the past or did not have the ...

Dec 2007
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
Biofuels trajectory to success: the innovation ecosystem at work

Can we change fuels, feeds, and automobiles in one go? The goal, as we see it, is a liquid fuel for the internal combustions engines - the hundreds of millions of engines that are there ...

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
Estimating the environmentally compatible bioenergy potential from agriculture

In 2005/2006 the European Environment Agency carried out a modelling exercise to estimate the bioenergy potential in the agriculture, forest and waste sectors that could be considered 'environmentally compatible' (EEA, 2006b).  It supplements the technical ...

Dec 2007
Fueling disaster - A community food security perspective on agrofuels

Faced with dwindling fuel reserves and the intensifying impacts of climate change, the interdependency of our food and energy systems is more apparent than ever.This report addresses the agrofuels debate from a fresh perspective: that ...

Dec 2007
Biofuels trade and sustainable development: the case of Pakistan

The preamble provides both a backdrop and a context for this study. Essentially a scoping exercise, the objectives of this study are to:a) assess the production potential of energy crops in Pakistan;b) evaluate the foreign ...

Dec 2007
Renewables 2007 – Global status report - A pre-publication summary for the UNFCCC COP13

The REN21 Renewables Global Status Report is produced by the Worldwatch Institute and sponsored by the German government.The number and regional spread of countries deploying renewable energy has grown significantly since 1997. For example, over ...

Dec 2007
The environmental certification of biofuels – Discussion paper

Assessing the actual environmental impacts of increased bioenergy and in particular, biofuel usage, will depend on the scale and mix of technology options employed and on the location. The fundamental factors that govern biomass productivity ...

Dec 2007
Biofuels for transportation: the next energy revolution or a fix that fails?

This report reviews the drivers around the recent rush to biofuels and provides a snapshot of this technology and its potential. It also attempts, using a “systems thinking” approach, to reframe the debate from one ...

Dec 2007
Green power marketing in the United States: a status report (tenth edition)

Regardless of whether US electricity consumers have access to a green power product from their retail power provider, any consumer can purchase green power through renewable energy certificates (RECs), which represent the “attributes” of electricity ...

Dec 2007
World biofuels assessment - Worldwide biomass potential: technology characterizations

A joint EERE-PI project was completed to estimate the worldwide potential to produce and transport ethanol and other biofuels, with an emphasis on the 5 year and 10 year potential for biofuels supply to the ...

Dec 2007
The multilateral trade and investment context for biofuels: issues and challenges

This paper looks at the multilateral trade and investment context for biofuels, particularly the agricultural crops that are being converted into liquid fuel on a commercial scale – ethanol and biodiesel. It summarizes some of ...

Nov 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
SARD and bioenergy

This series is produced by the SARD Initiative, a multi-stakeholder framework established to support the transition to people-centred sustainable agriculture and rural development. It is led by civil society, supported by governments and inter-governmental agencies ...

Nov 2007
The ripple effect - Biofuels, food security, and the environment

The integration of the agricultural and energy sectors caused by rapid growth in the biofuels market signals a new era in food policy and sustainable development. For the first time in decades, agricultural commodity markets ...

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
Biofuel thematic paper – Biofuel potential

The potential for biofuel production/usage is assessed in this study.The assessments cover mainly the EU, the U.S., China, Brazil, Denmark with references also to the remaining parts of the world; they are focused on the ...

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
Liquid transport biofuels - Technology status report

Concerns over the environmental impact of fossil fuel use, security of supply and the increasing cost of oil have resulted in an increasing desire to develop advanced technologies which will ultimately require the use of ...

Nov 2007
Sustainable biodiesel feedstock. Jatropha: a strategic option

This position paper by KnowGenix, in line with JatrophaWorld 2008, discusses the sustainability of non-food crops such as Jatropha against the backdrop of current biofuel policies and initiatives in developing regions. It looks at the ...

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
The Swan labelling of fuel - Background document on the ecolabelling of fuel

This document provides background for the requirements proposed by Nordic Ecolabelling in its Consultation Document.The document discusses Nordic Ecolabelling’s motives in developing criteria for the ecolabelling of fuels. It also provides a general introduction to ...

Nov 2007
Swan labelling of fuel

In a life cycle perspective, a Swan-labelled fuel generates lower emissions of greenhouse gases. Moreover, compared with conventional fossil fuels, a Swan-labelled fuel does not cause to an increased risk of cancer or increased energy ...

Nov 2007
Life-cycle assessment of corn-based butanol as a potential transportation fuel

Since 1995, with support primarily from the United States’ DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Argonne has been developing the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model. Argonne released ...

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
Biofuel feedstocks: the risk of future invasions

In an effort to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, expand domestic energy production, and maintain economic growth, public and private investments are being used to pursue dedicated feedstock crops for biofuel production. Unlike food crops grown ...

Nov 2007
Renewable fuel standard implementation: frequently asked consumer questions

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has prepared this document to help answer some commonly asked questions about renewable fuels.EPA consulted with trade groups representing the oil, engine, automobile, and renewable fuels industries as well as ...

Nov 2007
Biofuels: strategic choices for commodity dependent developing countries

The biofuels industry got underway on a large scale in the early 1970s, within the PROALCOOL Programme in Brazil. But it is only in the last five years that biofuels have started to be taken ...

Nov 2007
The future of biofuels - A global perspective

Unlike previous high-price periods, the current oil market is driven by strong demand-side factors. These factors include robust economic growth and rising oil demand from rapidly growing middle-income economies, where consumers are demanding a higher ...

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
Empowering rural communities by planting energy - Roundtable on bioenergy enterprise in developing regions

Competition for other land uses, such as production of food or other crops that are being produced already, needs to be factored in at the beginning of the decision making process. Furthermore, from a variety ...

Oct 2007
Are biofuels renewable energy sources?

The objective of this study is to discuss biofuels renewability in a quantitative point of view. A comprehensive review of the energy balance literature and emergy assessment of biofuels production were carried out at the ...

Oct 2007
Water implications of biofuels production in the United States

National interests in greater energy independence, concurrent with favorable market forces, have driven increased production of corn-based ethanol in the United States and research into the next generation of biofuels. The trend is changing the ...

Oct 2007
Biofuels - At what cost? - Government support for ethanol and biodiesel in the European Union

This report examines public support for biodiesel and ethanol for road transportation in the European Union. It forms part of a multi-country effort by the Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) of the International Institute for Sustainable ...

Oct 2007
Biomass, food & sustainability: is there a dilemma?

In January 2007, thousands of demonstrators marched through Mexico City in protest at a rise in the price of the maize flour used for tortillas. Many believed the higher price was caused by American demand ...

Oct 2007
Indicators of sustainable development: guidelines and methodologies

Indicators perform many functions. They can lead to better decisions and more effective actions by simplifying, clarifying and making aggregated information available to policy makers. They can help incorporate physical and social science knowledge into ...

Oct 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
Paving the way for agrofuels - EU policy, sustainability criteria and climate calculations

Agrofuels and other types and uses of bio-energy need strong public support (including targets, subsidies and tax breaks) in order to gain market share. These incentives are being justified on the grounds that agrofuels bring ...

Sep 2007
Biodiesel, renewable diesel and co-processed renewable diesel

This is document containing a brief information about differences between biodiesel, renewable diesel and coprocessed renewable diesel. These terms and definitions are often very confusing. It also focuses on the US policy that addresses the ...

Sep 2007
Considering trade policies for liquid biofuels

Bioenergy is playing an increasingly important role as an alternative and renewable source of energy. Bioenergy includes solid biomass, biogas, and liquid biofuels. Combustion of biomass residues for heat and power generation is commercially viable ...

Sep 2007
Recent trends in the law and policy of bioenergy production, promotion and use

This paper aims to stimulate discussion on the elements of appropriate national legal frameworks for bioenergy, particularly in developing countries. It provides legislators and policy-makers with a tool to assist in identifying areas of law ...

Sep 2007
Biofuels – At what cost? (Government support for ethanol and biodiesel in selected OECD countries)

This paper provides an overview of policy measures currently applied to support the production and consumption of biofuels. It also discusses how the different policies supportive of biofuels interact with broader agricultural, energy, and environmental ...

Sep 2007
Global scenarios for biofuels: impacts and implications

Given the number and high level of uncertainties regarding future biofuel supply, demand, and technologies, the paper examines three alternative scenarios: a conventional scenario, which focuses on rapid global growth in biofuel production under conventional ...

Sep 2007
Bioenergy and the sustainability transition: from local resource to global commodity

The looming threat of climate change and the invaluable role of energy in development have complicated the global transition to sustainable energy while also increasing the urgency of the transition. Bioenergy has a key role ...

Aug 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
Conserving and preserving: soil management and tillage

Crops cannot be produced without disturbing the soil in some way. Tillage is the farmer’s way of preparing the ground for planting by breaking up and smoothing the soil. Tillage also helps control weeds and ...

Aug 2007
Wood-energy supply/demand scenarios in the context of poverty mapping - A WISDOM case study in the Southeast Asia for the years 2000 and 2015

Current (2000) and projected (2015) woodfuel consumption patterns and supply potentials in continental Southeast Asia are analysed and mapped applying the Woodfuel Integrated Supply/Demand Overview Mapping (WISDOM) methodology. The author explains that the scope of ...

Aug 2007
Forecasting the magnitude of sustainable biofeedstock supplies: the challenges and the rewards

Forecasting the magnitude of sustainable biofeedstock supplies is challenging because of 1) myriad potential feedstock types and their management; 2) the need to account for the spatial variation of both the supplies and their environmental ...

Aug 2007
A look at US–Brazil ethanol trade and policy

Brazil and the USA are experiencing an ‘ethanol investment boom’. Agriculture in both countries is being reorganized to boost biomass production, but duties and tariffs may finally dictate the way the nations adjust to increasing ...

Aug 2007
Biofuels development in Africa: illusion or sustainable alternative?

This brochure was written by ENDA-TM to analyse the international dynamics and the role of Africa around biofuels development. The international energy community has recently seen an increased interest in biofuels. These alternative energies are ...

Jul 2007
UNCTAD BioTrade Initiative - BioTrade principles and criteria

The objective of the UNCTAD BioTrade Initiative (BTI) is to contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity through the promotion of trade and investment in BioTrade products and services in line with the ...

Jul 2007
The new scramble for Africa

Africa, with its large land area and cheap labour, is an obvious target for agrofuel developers. As one European agrofuel lobby group likes to point out, just 15 African countries – nicknamed the “green Opec” ...

Jul 2007
A market and policy interpretation of recent developments in the world ethanol industry

The concept of an integrated world ethanol market refers more to a possibility than to a reality. Presently, the value of ethanol exchanged among countries is only a few billion dollars. But the possibility of ...

Jul 2007
Biodiesel from algae oil

Currently most research into efficient algal oil production is being done in the private sector, but if predictions from small scale production experiments bear out then using algae to produce biodiesel may be the only ...

Jul 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
Biodiversity, rights and livelihood – Agrofuels special issue

In this article, a closer look is taken at the way corporations are using the stampede into agrofuels to extend their takeover of world farming. An unparalleled process of mergers, takeovers and alliances is tightening ...

Jul 2007
Cost of biodiesel production

To keep the refining market tight and gasoline prices and profits high, Big Oil is now threatening to scale back modest plans to expand refining capacity.Keeping the refining sector tight is not the only way ...

Jul 2007
Big Oil vs. ethanol: the consumer stake in expanding the production of liquid fuels

To keep the refining market tight and gasoline prices and profits high, Big Oil is now threatening to scale back modest plans to expand refining capacity.Keeping the refining sector tight is not the only way ...

Jul 2007
Agrofuels in Africa: the impacts on land, food and forests - Case Studies from Benin, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia

Africa is at a crossroads of trying to reconcile the conservation of its vast cultural and natural heritage with the many and increasing needs of a growing population. Powerful external forces continue to divert the ...

Jul 2007
Successful energy policy interventions in Africa

Although the performance of the energy sector in Africa as a whole is perceived as being below expectations, a number of successful policy interventions have been implemented in the region. Notable successful policy interventions include:• ...

Jul 2007
Is the expansion of biofuels at odds with the food security of developing countries?

The development of biofuel production and its use may have profound impacts on both food production and distribution in the world market and developing countries: changing patterns of food demand and supply; increasing energy supply ...

Jul 2007
The environmental certification of biofuels

Bioenergy, including biofuels, could become a substantial tool for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, locally and globally, possibly providing a large fraction of global primary energy supply by 2020. Exactly how large that share will be ...

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
Biofuels - Technology status and future trends, technology assessment and decision support tools

One of the key issues of sustainable industrial development is the conversion from fossil feedstocks to renewable feedstocks in various sectors such as energy production, fuel production, chemical and related industries.The present publication provides a ...

Jun 2007
The social impacts of certified timber plantations in South Africa and the implications thereof for agrofuel crops

South Africa’s land, water and environmental resources are undervalued in comparison to those in consumer countries, and the purchase or consumptive use of South African resources therefore makes for very profitable dealings for multinational corporations. ...

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
Agroenergy and biofuels atlas of the Americas - Ethanol

This volume presents information about the current state of and outlook for ethanol production in several countries of the Americas.The agricultural sector has great potential as a supplier of feedstock for generating energy, including the ...

Jun 2007
Environmentally-sound rural economic growth: policy implications and options for bioenergy and sustainable agriculture development

There is growing concern that environmental degradation in the Asian and Pacific region is pervasive, accelerating and unabated, putting people's health and livelihoods at risk. These environmental consequences disproportionately impact the rural poor who depend ...

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
Biofuels, agriculture and poverty reduction

This paper addresses the role of biofuels in development and poverty reduction. For example, it has been argued that:energy crops are beginning a green revolution in Brazil;a bioproduct-based agro-revolution can offer a new development paradigm;biofuels ...

Jun 2007
Towards a harmonised sustainable biomass certification scheme

This paper is part of a series of sustainability papers commissioned by WWF, FSC, the Dutch and the UK Governments.The report describes the Meta-Standard approach, employed to assure the sustainability of bioenergy . The general ...

Jun 2007
Considering trade policies for liquid biofuels

This report, which focuses on the issues associated with trade in liquid biofuels, is a second Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) report on biofuels, and forms a part of a broader assessment of bioenergy ...

Jun 2007
Towards a sustainable biomass strategy – Discussion paper

The paper reviews the current knowledge on the use of biomass for non-food purposes, it discusses its environmental sustainability implication, and describes the needs for further research, thus enabling a more balanced policy approach. The ...

Jun 2007
Biofuel annual report - China

China views biofuels as an essential and strategic component of a secure economy and diversified energy policy. To ensure development of biofuels, the central government takes an active role in regulating both the supply and ...

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
Implications of a future global biofuels market for economic development and international trade

This is the report of the John F. Kennedy School of Government’s workshop on biofuels organized on the 9th of May 2007. Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government brought together experts from academia, ...

May 2007
Measures for the promotion of biodiesel

PREMIA (June 2004 – May 2007) is a project funded by the European Commission through the Sixth Framework Programme. PREMIA aims at supporting the European Commission’s ongoing work on alternative fuels. It provides input into ...

May 2007
R&D, demonstration and incentive programmes effectiveness to facilitate and secure market introduction of alternative motor fuels

The PREMIA project aims at supporting the European Commission's on-going work on alternative fuels. It provides input into the revision of the biofuels directive and discusses long-term, cost effective policy framework to support the market ...

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
Analysis of biofuel support policies

The progress in introducing biofuels remains low on an EU average. Biofuels consumption merely reached 1% of all transport fuels consumed by the end of 2005, half of the indicative target of 2% set by ...

May 2007
R&D, demonstration and incentive programmes effectiveness to facilitate and secure market introduction of alternative motor fuels

PREMIA is a Specific Support Action within the 6th Framework Programme of the European Commission which aims at assessing the effectiveness of measures to support the market introduction of alternative motor fuels, taking into account ...

May 2007
REEEP looks at complexity of producing biofuels in South Africa

The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), one of the leading non-profit organizations promoting clean energy in the developing world, is studying the potential and problems associated with biofuels in South Africa. Simon Wilson ...

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
Economic impacts of not extending biofuels subsidies

The exponential growth of the biofuels industry has created significant increases in feed prices in the livestock sector. In February and March of 2007, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the National Pork Producers called ...

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
Environmental benefits and consequences of biofuels development in the United States

This brief was written in the context of the January 2007 State-of-the-Union address delivered by former American President Bush, in which the Bush Administration proposed expanding biofuel development and production to reduce gasoline use by ...

May 2007
From meals to wheels: the social & ecological catastrophe of agrofuels

With concerns over energy security and global warming mounting, governments and industries have begun a headlong plunge towards the development of alternative energy sources including the use of plant biomass to make ethanol (from sugar ...

May 2007
Sustainability reporting within the RTFO: framework report

This paper has been produced by Ecofys for and in consultation with the Department for Transport. It has undergone a peer review process involving a project Advisory Group and other stakeholders. It sets out the ...

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

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 ...

Apr 2007
Small-scale production and use of liquid biofuels in Sub-Saharan Africa: perspectives for sustainable development

This background paper focuses on the impact of biofuels for small-scale development and use by households, farmers, communities, etc. Its emphasis is on the sustainable development of biofuels to increase modern energy access to these ...

Apr 2007
A blueprint for green energy in the Americas - Strategic analysis of opportunities for Brazil and the hemisphere

While not a panacea, biofuels represent one important choice in an increasing array of energy options. They have a significant role to play in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from transport, developing rural economies, ...

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
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
Impact of an increased biomass use on agricultural markets, prices and food security: a longer-term perspective

This paper examines the impact of rising demand for bioenergy on agricultural markets and prices. It reviews quantitative assessments of bioenergy potential and concludes that demand for bioenergy is significant enough to create a change ...

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
Consequences, opportunities and challenges of modern biotechnology for Europe

The Commission assigned the “Biotechnology for Europe” (Bio4EU) study to its Joint Research Centre, where the study was carried out by the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (JRC-IPTS). It focused on current applications of modern ...

Apr 2007
Biofuel issues in the new legislation on the promotion of renewable energy

The European Commission takes into account the views of stakeholders as expressed in 2006 consultation exercises on heating and cooling and biofuels and the recent consultation exercise on administrative obstacles to the increased use of ...

Apr 2007
First FAO technical consultation on bioenergy and food security

The summary proceedings of the first FAO technical consultation on bioenergy and food security documents for the first time a meeting between experts in bioenergy, food security and the environment, to discuss the complex linkages ...

Apr 2007
The global dynamics of biofuels. Potential supply and demand for ethanol and biodiesel in the coming decade

This report was written by the Brazil Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center which is a “think tank” in Washington that promotes the US – Brazilian relationships. The article collects the opinions of seven experts ...

Apr 2007
The biorefinery concept – ExCo59 meeting summary

The biorefinery concept is critical to the development and integration of bioenergy into the world economy. However, a clear implementation path is needed. This includes R&D in critical technology areas, technology scale-up and pilot plants, ...

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
Biomass energy transition in rural China: policy options and co-benefits

It has been widely accepted that providing adequate, clean and affordable energy to rural residents is essential for eradicating poverty, improving human welfare, and raising living standards worldwide. Sustainable energy in rural development, with wide ...

Mar 2007
Latin America to 2020 - A UK public strategy paper

Latin America matters to the UK and the world. The entire process of globalisation means we are increasingly interlinked. And it is not only about mutual economic interests. Political stability is a vital mutual interest. ...

Mar 2007
Pro-poor biofuels outlook for Asia and Africa: ICRISAT’s perspective – A working paper

The topic of biofuels has drawn increased interest worldwide in the wake of steeply-climbing fossil fuel prices in 2005-06. In late 2006/early 2007 prices began to subside, but are unlikely to return to their former ...

Mar 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
Testing framework for sustainable biomass

This report describes the testing framework for sustainable biomass, as it has been worked out by the project group“Sustainable production of biomass” set up by the Dutch government. To ensure that biomass as a source ...

Mar 2007
Modelling the impacts of macroeconomic variables on the South African biofuels industry

The production of biofuel from agricultural commodities is the hot topic in most of the major economies around the world. The Kyoto protocol has further sparked an interest in the preservation of the environment and ...

Mar 2007
Biodiesel in Germany 2006: market trends and competition

Biofuels are seen by experts currently as the only alternative to fossil fuels which are able to make a noteworthy contribution to secure mobility in the short to medium-term.In January 2007 The European Commission presented ...

Mar 2007
Biomass fuel trade in Europe - Summary report

This report is a summary of biomass fuel trade in Europe. The reference year is 2003 or 2004, and both 20 country reports and a summary report is prepared.The assessed figure for the total technoeconomical ...

Mar 2007
Biofuels, agriculture and poverty reduction

Despite these concerns, alarm over greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, rising oil prices and new biofuels targets in the North mean that development stakeholders are interested in the role of the agricultural sector in biofuels production.This ...

Mar 2007
Current situation and prospects for biodiesel and vegetable oils as fuels: from niche products to market players (Germany)

From a very early stage, Germany and France had seen a new commercial alternative in rapeseed cultivation on set-aside land to produce diesel, albeit pursuing different strategies.France consistently pursued an admixture of biodiesel and petroleum ...

Mar 2007
Production and use of fuel ethanol in Brazil - Answers to the most frequently asked questions

The production and use of fuel ethanol in Brazil since 1975 represent one of the most important renewable, commercial fuel program implemented in the world to date. This currently recognized success, combined with the increasing ...

Mar 2007
Towards introduction of alternative motor fuels: country specific situations

PREMIA is a Specific Support Action in the 6th Framework Programme of the EuropeanCommission.Although the introduction of alternative motor fuels in the market is a general EU-strategy, in this work package country specific conditions were ...

Mar 2007
Biofuel technology handbook

The scope of this handbook is to inform politicians, decision makers, biofuel producers and traders and other relevant stakeholders about the state-of-the-art of biofuels and related technologies. Thereby, the large variety of feedstock sources, conversion ...

Feb 2007
Transport and environment: on the way to a new common transport policy

The main aim of TERM is to monitor the progress and effectiveness of transport and environment integration strategies on the basis of a core set of indicators.The objective of the report is to indicate some ...

Feb 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
Water quality and environmental dimensions in biofuel production

Human uses of freshwater resources and energy demand are increasing rapidly as the world population rises. Alternative energy using biomass feedstocks to reduce dependence on oil imports would entail conversion of millions of hectares of ...

Feb 2007
Energy indicators for sustainable development - Country studies on Brazil, Cuba, Lithuania, Mexico, Russian Federation, Slovakia and Thailand

These energy indicators were formulated in line with sustainable development goals and were designed to complement the indicators on sustainable development developed by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. Work on developing indicators on ...

Feb 2007
Biomass, livelihoods and international trade - Challenges and opportunities for the EU and Southern Africa

This report is an outcome of a workshop held on 29-30 April 2005, in London, entitled, “Biomass, Sustainable Livelihoods, and International Trade: Challenges and Opportunities for the EU and southern Africa.” The workshop focused on ...

Feb 2007
Biofuel potential in Guyana

Guyana depends on imported fuels to meet the needs of its transport sector. In recent years, prices of derivatives of petroleum have increased significantly, further widening the current account deficit. In 2005, fuel accounted for ...

Feb 2007
Contribution of the ethanol industry to the economy of the United States

The ethanol industry is one of the most significant success stories in American manufacturing over the past quarter century.From a cottage industry that produced 175 million gallons in 1980, the American ethanol industry has grown ...

Feb 2007
Linkages between energy and water management for agriculture in developing countries

This paper summarizes and draws conclusions from papers and discussions of the International conference at ICRISAT Campus (Hyderabad, India, 29-30 January 2007) organized by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and Food and Agriculture Organization ...

Jan 2007
Sustainable mobility with biofuels - Key points for the advancement of the biofuel strategy in Germany and the European Union

In this document the key points for the advancement of biofuel strategy in Germany and the European Union are reported. The Association of German Biofuel Industries supports the strategy followed in Germany and on EU ...

Jan 2007
Twenty in Ten – Facts sheet

President Bush asked congress and America's scientists, farmers, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs to join him in pursuing the goal of reducing U.S. gasoline usage by 20 percent in the next ten years – Twenty in ...

Jan 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
Update of the inventory of existing networks, initiatives and institutions dealing with bioenergy

This document, finalized by GBEP in early 2007  contains an update of the inventory of existing networks, initiatives and institutions dealing with bioenergy in order to avoid duplications and allow integration and leverage of international ...

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
Potential impacts of biofuels expansion on natural resources - A case study of the Ogallala aquifer region

Renewable fuels whose use and production result in a net decrease in greenhouse gas emissions are one of the best opportunities to address global warming. However, biofuels may not live up to their promise as ...

Jan 2007
Biofuels and their environmental performance

The development of biofuel pathways is closely associated with targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transport sector.Well-to-wheel assessments indicate that the use of automotive fuels of vegetable origin yield have ...

Jan 2007
IEA Energy Technology Essentials – Biofuel production

The IEA Energy Technology Essentials are regularly-updated briefs that draw together the best-available, consolidated information on energy technologies from the IEA network. It offers concise four-page updates on the different technologies for producing, transporting and ...

Jan 2007
Energy revolution - A sustainable world energy outlook

The European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) and Greenpeace International have produced this global energy scenario as a practical blueprint for how to urgently meet CO2 reduction targets and secure affordable energy supply on the basis ...

Jan 2007
Some insights in the effect of growing bioenergy demand on global food security and natural resources

Growing crops for biofuels is often criticized because of its direct competition for land for food production. The recent price increases on world food markets are partly a result of this competition. For instance, cereals ...

Jan 2007
Global trends in sustainable energy investment 2007 - analysis of trends and issues in the financing of renewable energy and energy efficiency in OECD and developing countries

C. Greenwood, A. Hohler, M. Liebreich, V. Sonntag-O’Brien, E. Usher This report was commissioned by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)’s Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE) under its Sustainable Energy Finance Initiative and was produced ...

Jan 2007
Betting on biofuels

The emerging biofuel industry is attractive to many companies but full of uncertainty.Major factors affecting the industry’s profitability – feedstock costs, regulation, and technologies – are in flux.Despite these uncertainties, waiting to enter might be ...

Jan 2007
Agricultural outlook 2007-2016

The Agricultural Outlook is a collaborative effort of the OECD in Paris and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in Rome. Its main purpose is to produce an updated annual ten-year ...

Jan 2007
International bioenergy trade - Scenario study on international biomass market in 2020

This research was carried out between December 2004 and December 2007 as a part of the group project “The EU’s forest energy resources, market of energy technology and international bioenergy trade” coordinated by the Finnish ...

Jan 2007
International trade in biofuels: Good for development? And good for environment?

Biofuels are heating up debates and energising activities on many policy fronts. On the surface, they offer significant opportunities to pursue environment and development goals both globally and domestically. There are both synergies and trade-offs ...

Jan 2007
Good practice guidelines

Modern biomass, and the resulting useful forms of bioenergy produced from it, are anticipated by many advocates to provide a significant contribution to the global primary energy supply of many IEA member countries during the ...

Jan 2007
IDA at Work: Energy - Improving services for the poor

Energy services are vital for economic development and improvements in the standard of living for the world’s poor. Agriculture, industry, commerce and household access to energy underpin growth in productivity.This booklet describes how the International ...

Jan 2007
Opportunities and risks arising from the use of bioenergy for food security in Latin America

This document, which was prepared by the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC) and the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, seeks to discuss some important aspects of the debate on the ...

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
Bioenergy: objectives–technology (Bioenergy Barometer)

The biofuels market is not a market like the others because its development is closely tied to its total or partial exemption from the tax on petroleum products. Moreover, numerous EU member countries have not ...

Jan 2007
Review of the EU fuel quality directive

The European Commission presented its proposal for the revision of the « Fuel Quality Directive » 98/70 defining future EU quality standards on 31 January 2007. This has far reaching implications for biodiesel and biofuels ...

Jan 2007
The ethanol fact book - A compilation of information about fuel ethanol

The Clean Fuels Development Coalition is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of alternative fuels and technologies to improve air quality and reduce dependence on imported oil. The broad CFDC membership includes ethanol producers, ...

Jan 2007
Overview of recent developments in sustainable biomass certification - Draft for comments

Copernicus Institute for Sustainable DevelopmentEnvironment and Natural Resources Service, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United NationsOeko-InstitutThe objective of this paper is to give a comprehensive outline of initiatives on biomass certification from different viewpoints ...

Dec 2006
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
Food security for the Muslim world

This document illustrates the oils and fats scenario in the Muslim world total production in 2006 was 44.09 million tonnes, of which the bulk was in Malaysia (18.14 million tonnes) and Indonesia (18.37 million tonnes). ...

Dec 2006
Assessing policy options for increasing the use of renewable energy for sustainable development: modelling energy scenarios for Sichuan, China

The WSSD’s Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) in Paragraph 20(e) calls onGovernments and other stakeholders to, “With a sense of urgency, substantially increase the global share of renewable energy sources with the objective of increasing ...

Dec 2006
Science and technology options for harnessing bioenergy’s potential

Much of the technology development for bioenergy to date has been geared toward competing with cheap fossil fuels.Bioenergy technologies have focused on reducing the cost per unit of energy produced, often exclusively by exploiting very ...

Dec 2006
Case study sugar cane ethanol from Brazil - Sustainability of ethanol from Brazil in the context of demanded biofuels imports by The Netherlands

Brazil is internationally recognized as a leader in production and efficiency in the sugar and alcohol sector, but this leadership is not as developed in the social, environmental and governing capability of the sector.Today 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
Developing bioenergy: economic and social issues

Modern biomass energy services have the potential to make a significant contribution to a new energy paradigm. The world currently consumes about 400 EJ (exajoules) of energy per year but generates the equivalent of about ...

Dec 2006
Developing bioenergy: a win-win approach that can serve the poor and the environment

The promise of bioenergy is that it may help cope with rising energy prices, address environmental concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, and offer new income and employment to farmers and rural areas. In principle, there ...

Dec 2006
Brazil’s experience with bioenergy

Brazil is the world’s largest producer of ethanol, a biofuel used mainly in automobiles as an additive or alternative to gasoline. In the mid-1970s the country undertook a major program to produce ethanol, and since ...

Dec 2006
Biofuels and the global food balance

Rising world fuel prices, the growing demand for energy, and concerns about global warming are the key factors driving the increasing interest in renewable energy sources, and in biofuels in particular. But some policymakers and ...

Dec 2006
Bioenergy in Europe: experiences and prospects

Although Europe is a relatively small producer of ethanol (2.6 percent of world production in 2005), it produces a sizable share of the world’s biodiesel (88 percent of world production in 2005). Production started in ...

Dec 2006
Bioenergy and the poor

Biomass is a primary source of energy for close to 2.4 billion people in developing countries. Easily available to many of the world’s poor, biomass provides vital and affordable energy for cooking and space heating. ...

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
Bioenergy and agricultural research for development

R. Ortiz, J. H. Crouch, M. Iwanaga, K. Sayre, M. Warburton, J. L. Araus, J. Dixon, M. Bohn, B. V. S. Reddy, S. Ramesh, S. P. WaniConverting agriculture to produce energy as well as food ...

Dec 2006
Guide to produce a succinct description of a Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) Good Practice

Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) is the goal of Agenda 21, Chapter 14, adopted by the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.The SARD Initiative seeks to build the capacity of poor rural ...

Dec 2006
Bioenergy in Europe: experiences and prospects

Although Europe is a relatively small producer of ethanol (2.6 percent of world production in 2005), it produces a sizable share of the world’s biodiesel (88 percent of world production in 2005). Production started in ...

Dec 2006
Notes from the Sustainable Biofuels Stakeholder Meeting of November 28th

A multi-stakeholder meeting on Sustainable Biofuels was held at the EPFL in Lausanne on 28 November 2006 to investigate the potential for developing internationally accepted and implementable standards for sustainable biofuels. This document summarizes the ...

Nov 2006
Challenges and opportunities for developing countries in producing biofuels

The production of energy from biomass involves a range of technologies, including solid combustion, gasification and fermentation. These technologies produce liquid and gas fuels from a diverse set of biological resources – traditional crops (sugar ...

Nov 2006
Convergence of energy and agriculture: implications for research and policy

Access to an adequate energy supply at reasonable cost is crucial for sustained economic growth. Unfortunately, oil prices and the need to import from politically unstable countries lowers the reliability of the US energy supply ...

Nov 2006
Economic effects of the production of biodiesel for use as fuel

In no other country of the EU has the production and consumption of fatty acid methyl ester grown as strongly as in Germany. Policy decisions are the major factors behind the success of biodiesel, mainly ...

Nov 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
Who does the biofuel business benefit?

The biofuel business will help to position the biotechnology industry, to recycle the oil and automobile industry and to expand the profits of industries marketing biofuels. This does not imply that all that has been ...

Nov 2006
Linking trade, climate change and energy

Reversing global warming requires citizen action and corporate responsibility, public and private investment and the implementation of effective regulatory regimes. While in the past, the economy vs. environment debate has hampered progress on the environment, ...

Nov 2006
The EU strategy on biofuels: from field to fuel

This report considers whether the EU Biofuels Directive is proving effective as a means of increasing the biofuels content of road transport energy.Development of biofuels in the EU can both reduce carbon dioxide emissions and ...

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
Sustainability standards for bioenergy

This report begins in Section 1 with an introduction to key bioenergy issues, summarizing “drivers”, global potential, the key issues of sustainable biomass and standards.Section 2 gives a brief description of key potential problems and ...

Nov 2006
Energy & Climate - A contribution to the dialogue on long term cooperative action

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Focus Area Energy and Climate offers the following thought piece as a contribution to the dialogue on long-term cooperative action on climate change.This document offers some initial ...

Nov 2006
Achieving sustainable production of agricultural biomass for biorefinery feedstock

Demand for alternative feedstocks for fuels, chemicals and a range of commercial products has grown dramatically in the early years of the 21st century, driven by the high price of crude oil, government policy to ...

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
WTO disciplines and biofuels: opportunities and constraints in the creation of a global marketplace

This paper examines how the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) might apply to the biofuels sector. We emphasize “might” because this is a topic that has not yet been addressed in great detail ...

Oct 2006
Biofuel production from plant biomass derived sugars

Ethanol costs could be significantly reduced if cheap plant biomass-based feedstocks could be utilised. Significant efforts are being undertaken in North America and the EU to develop cost effective technology for the hydrolysis of biomass ...

Oct 2006
Constraints in jatropha cultivation perceived by farmers in Udaipur district, Rajasthan

In India, 16% of the world’s population struggles to survive on 2.4% of the planet’s land mass. The pressure of this intense land utilization is causing more and more forest and agricultural land to deteriorate ...

Oct 2006
Specific environmental effects of trade liberalization: sugar

This paper is the second in a series assessing the sustainability of any agricultural production increases that result from trade liberalization achieved through a conclusion to the WTO Doha Development Round of negotiations on agriculture. ...

Oct 2006
WTO disciplines and biofuels: opportunities and constraints in the creation of a global marketplace

Producing fuel from agricultural crops has already raised questions about the impacts on the supply of food and land. What has received less attention is the shift that would result in the location of feedstock ...

Oct 2006
Biomass (Issue Brief - Energy and climate)

Both the agricultural and forestry sectors, the suppliers of biomass, would be affected by the extra demand for biomass and biofuels as projected by the IEA. Potential outcomes of this additional biomass demand are:- Supplementary ...

Oct 2006
Biofuels – At what cost? - Government support for ethanol and biodiesel in the United States

This report examines government support for ethanol and biodiesel in the United States. Current government subsidy policies at the federal, state and, to the extent possible, local level have been surveyed. This analysis forms part ...

Oct 2006
CDM and biofuels - Can the CDM assist biofuel production and deployment?

The Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol provides an opportunity to direct financing to projects in developing countries that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The current portfolio of over 800 projects includes several different renewable ...

Oct 2006
Compendium of international energy policies and strategies

The purpose of compiling this compendium by the African Energy Policy Research Network and and Foundation for Woodstove Dissemination (AFREPREN/FWD) and the Environmental Development Action in the Third World (ENDA) is to assist in the ...

Oct 2006
Biodiesel and other biofuels. Abridged version of the UFOP report 2005/2006. Tax regulations, market development and R&B for biodiesel

This is the abridged version of the UFOP report 2005/2006 that analyses tax regulations, market development and R & B in the German case study. The UFOP believes that the main factors for political motivation ...

Oct 2006
Biomass for food or fuel: Is there a dilemma?

After centuries of daily struggle for food, it takes our breath away that today a farmer is able to single-handedly cultivate hundreds of hectares to produce sufficient food to feed thousands of families at the ...

Sep 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
Sustainability of Brazilian bioethanol

The main objectives and scope of the study are:1. Determination of Dutch sustainability demands for bio-ethanol, including stakeholder consultation in the Netherlands (NGO’s, industry).2. Assessment of the current ecological, economic and social impacts of ethanol ...

Aug 2006
Biofuels as a future source of energy for women in rural settlements in South Africa

Gender issues continue to play a vital role in the development of policy for energy. Energy poverty creates a set of social problems that impact on the home and its occupants, with differing degrees depending ...

Aug 2006
Brazil: a country profile on sustainable energy development

The primary objective of this study is to develop the first country profile in relation to sustainable energy development. It represents the first attempt of the IAEA to produce a comprehensive, systematic and forward looking ...

Aug 2006
A look at Africa's biofuels potential

Now that African states have decided to create a "Green OPEC", it is time to look at the biofuels and bioenergy potential of the continent as a whole. Assessing and projecting this biomass energy potential ...

Jul 2006
Draft environmental standards for biofuels

Demand for biofuels derived from oilseeds and starch/sugar crops is expected to grow rapidly over the next 10-20 years as a result of a combination of high fossil fuel prices and concerted policies promoting biofuels ...

Jul 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
Thermodynamics of the corn-ethanol biofuel cycle

In this paper the author defines sustainability, sustainable cyclic processes, and quantifies the degree of non-renewability of a major biofuel: ethanol produced from industrially-grown corn.First, he demonstrates that more fossil energy is used to produce ...

Jul 2006
Energy and gender in rural sustainable development

FAO’s Committee on Agriculture has identified the great potential of bioenergy for supporting new rural infrastructure and employment opportunities, and has also recognized that an integrated multidisciplinary approach is needed for its new Bioenergy Programme ...

Jul 2006
The real biofuel cycles

This paper analyzes energy efficiency of the industrial corn-ethanol cycle and brackets energy efficiency of the switchgrass-cellulosic ethanol cycle. In particular, it critically reviews the Report by Farrell et al., Ethanol Can Contribute to Energy ...

Jul 2006
Environmental, economic, and energetic costs and benefits of biodiesel and ethanol biofuels

Negative environmental consequences of fossil fuels and concerns about petroleum supplies have spurred the search for renewable transportation biofuels. To be a viable alternative, a biofuel should provide a net energy gain, have environmental benefits, ...

Jul 2006
Biofuels for transportation: global potential and implications for sustainable agriculture and energy in the 21st century

The report Biofuels for Transportation: Global Potential and Implications for Sustainable Agriculture and Energy in the 21st Century, realized by the Worldwatch Institute for the German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV), ...

Jun 2006
Bioenergy in Europe. Opportunities and barriers

The aim of this publication is to give a comprehensive overview of the opportunities for and barriers to bioenergy development in Europe. The study carried out within the Bioenergy Network of Excellence “Overcoming Barriers to ...

Jun 2006
Promotion and use of biofuels in the United Kingdom - UK report to European Commission under Article 4 of the Biofuels Directive

This report fulfils the UK’s obligation to the report to the European Commission by 1 July 2006 on the effectiveness of UK Government support for biofuels during the calendar year 2005, as required by Article ...

Jun 2006
Biofuels in Europe – perspectives and policy approaches

This document contains a presentation by meó Consulting Team during the International Conference on “Biofuels for Transportation – Global Potential and Implications for Sustainable Agriculture, Energy, and Security in the 21st Century” that was held ...

Jun 2006
Biofuels in the European Union - A vision for 2030 and beyond

The expected growth of the biofuels market and the development of new transformation pathways make it timely to investigate new integrated refining schemes. The co-production of fuels, heat & power and co-products in integrated biorefineries ...

May 2006
Land management planning at the forest service: opportunities for collaboration

Land management is all too often a subject of intense conflict. In a situation in which many people have strong ties to the land, a number of players will get involved in the policymaking process, ...

May 2006
Liberalisation of trade in renewable energy and associated technologies: biodiesel, solar thermal and geothermal energy

This paper, the second in a series, examines the implications of liberalising trade in three forms of renewable energy: biodiesel, solar-thermal water heaters, and geothermal energy systems. Eliminating tariffs on renewable energy and associated goods ...

May 2006
European biofuel policies in retrospect

Despite the benefits of biofuels in the fields of agriculture, security of energy supply and the environment, barriers to the use of biofuels are still substantial in India and South-East Asia. There is no financing ...

May 2006
Renewable energy sources in figures - national and international development

The German Federal Ministry for the Environment agreed to set up a Working Group on Renewable Energies/Statistics (AGEE-Stat) with the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer ...

May 2006
Steps toward a sustainable energy future

This document represents the position paper of the Citizens United for Renewable Energy and Sustainability (CURES) Network for the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)  February 2006.In response to key challenges posed by the participants ...

May 2006
Biomass energy and bioenergy trade: historic developments in Brazil and current opportunities

Brazil has tradition and a significant potential on biomass production. The historical importance of biomass energy in Brazil is due to a set of factors, including (i) the size of the country and the availability ...

Apr 2006
Handbook on jatropha curcas

Jatropha Curcas has the advantage that not only is it capable of growing on marginal land, but it can also help to reclaim problematic lands and restore eroded areas. As it is not a food ...

Mar 2006
Transition towards Jatropha biofuels in Tanzania?

This thesis is written for the fulfillment of the Master Innovation Sciences, Technology and Policy for Developing Economies at the Eindhoven University of Technology. For this thesis I conducted a field study of three months ...

Mar 2006
Bioenergy trade and regional development: the case of bioethanol in Southern Africa

This paper analyses the prospects for international bioenergy trade within the context of regional integration and sustainable development in the region of southern Africa, focusing on the particular case of bioethanol made from sugar cane ...

Mar 2006
Integration of environment into EU agriculture policy — The IRENA indicator-based assessment report

This report aims to provide a fair reflection of the progress, the achievements and obstacles in the integration of environmental concerns into EU agriculture policy, based on indicators developed in the IRENA operation. It also ...

Mar 2006
An EU strategy for biofuels

In the EU, transport is responsible for an estimated 21% of all greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to global warming, and the percentage is rising. In order to meet sustainability goals, in particular the ...

Feb 2006
Biofuel and biotech: a sustainable energy solution

Just 150 years ago, 90 percent of U.S. energy was supplied by renewable sources. Today, renewables constitute a mere six percent of energy consumption in a U.S. economy that is heavily dependent on a finite ...

Feb 2006
Transport-related hydrogen activities in Asia

This report entails a summary of transport-related hydrogen activities in Asia, with particular reference to the following countries: Japan, China, South-Korea, Singapore and Australia.The overall scheme of each case study is to seek information of ...

Feb 2006
Agricultural market impacts of future growth in the production of biofuels

The main objective of this study is to determine what impact future biofuel developments can have on agricultural commodity markets through a quantitative assessment of several scenarios based on the use of an agricultural trade ...

Feb 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
The hydrogen economy - A non-technical review

There is a growing belief among policy-makers, environmental organisations, energy analysts and industry leaders that hydrogen is the fuel of the future that will revolutionise the way we produce and use energy. In the long ...

Jan 2006
Comparison of transport fuels - Final report (EV45A/2/F3C) to the Australian greenhouse office on the stage 2 study of life-cycle emissions analysis of alternative fuels for heavy vehicles

This report responds to a brief from the Australian Greenhouse Office to undertake:a comparison of road transport fuel emissions through a full fuel-cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions and emissions affecting air quality; and for ...

Jan 2006
Running vehicles successfully on biodiesel - Product quality requirements for FAME

Within the space of a decade, bio-diesel has turned from a virtually unknown product into a significant fuel on the market. Germany’s bio-diesel turnover accounted for just 45,000 t in 1995, but had risen to ...

Jan 2006
Brazilian agroenergy plan 2006-2011

The position of the federal government as regards the future supply of energy from renewable sources has gone beyond a merely public administration issue and has become a State matter because of its comprehensiveness and ...

Jan 2006
The emerging biofuels market: regulatory, trade and development implications

The era of "easy" energy is over. Governments, intergovernmental organizations, corporations, NGOs and even individuals are asking themselves a number of questions that are crucial for the sustainable development prospects of all countries. How do ...

Jan 2006
Potential challenges and risks of bioenergy production for developing countries

Following pioneer Brazil, the world is seeing a dazzling growth in bioenergy production derived from plants and other biomass. China has an ambitious programme of its own and several African countries have set their sights ...

Jan 2006
Renewables – Global status report 2006 update

REN21 is a global policy network in which ideas are shared and action is encouraged to promote renewable energy. It provides a forum for leadership and exchange in international policy processes. It bolsters appropriate policies ...

Jan 2006
Towards better practice in smallholder palm oil production

Smallholder oil palm production has the potential to secure mutually beneficial outcomes for large and small producers and processors, enhance social and environmental sustainability at the landscape scale, ease land disputes between smallholders and large ...

Jan 2006
The promises and challenges of biofuels for the poor in developing countries

In the past several years the changing world energy situation has generated intensive discussion about biofuels, much of it a promising source of environment-friendly energy that would also be a boon to the world’s farmers. ...

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
Towards a Southern African NGO position on biofuels (brochure)

Southern Africa is a region of great poverty interspersed with pockets of wealth. The South African economy is one of those pockets but contained within the nation are millions of people living without access to ...

Jan 2006
EU Biomass action plan

This action plan, issued at the end of 2005 by the European Commission, sets out measures to increase the development of biomass energy from wood, wastes and agricultural crops by creating market-based incentives to its ...

Dec 2005
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
Pathways to 2050: energy & climate change

The WBCSD continues to illustrate the challenges associated with one particular trajectory, consistent with the discussion already presented in Facts and Trends. This document therefore looks closely at the changes needed to start stabilizing CO2 ...

Nov 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
Global Bioenergy Partnership - White Paper

The objective of this White Paper is to discuss how the Global Bioenergy Partnership could contribute to the development and deployment of bioenergy in developed and developing countries, based on a review of the barriers ...

Oct 2005
Potential for biofuels for transport in developing countries

This report is by the Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP), a joint programme of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank, to help developing countries assess the potential of biofuels in ...

Oct 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
WISDOM – East Africa. Woodfuel Integrated Supply/Demand Overview Mapping (WISDOM) Methodology. Spatial woodfuel production and consumption analysis of selected African countries

In this article the author analyses wood energy and the poverty situation in ten countries of East and Central Africa: Rwanda, Kenya, Egypt, Burundi, DR Congo, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. The study intends ...

Aug 2005
Liquid biofuels for transportation in Tanzania

Tanzania relies exclusively on imports for its oil needs. The value of Tanzania’s import increased from US $ 1,661.4 mio. in 2002 to US $ 2,145.3 mio. in 2003. This is largely attributed to an ...

Aug 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
USDA’s 2002 ethanol cost-of-production survey

Ethanol is a clean renewable gasoline additive produced from domestically grown feedstocks such as corn, sorghum, barley, and wheat. In 1980 to 2004, the ethanol industry and its role expanded significantly. Ethanol production capacity increased ...

Jul 2005
Status report biodiesel - Biodiesel production and marketing in Germany 2005

Germany heads the league table for biofuel. With a capacity of 1.5 million tonnes in 2005 and 2 million tonnes in 2006, the target quantity – relating to the diesel market (total sales of approx. ...

Jun 2005
The energy challenge for achieving the Millennium Development Goals

This UN-Energy paper on the importance of energy for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was drafted collectively by the United Nations (UN) agencies, programmes and organizations working in the area of energy, reflecting their ...

Jun 2005
An assessment of biomass feedstock and conversion research opportunities

This report is one of a series of assessments on various areas of the energy landscape prepared by GCEP staff. The assessments are intended to provide an introduction to the energy area as well as ...

May 2005
Biodiesel initiatives in Germany

Regarding the production and usage of biodiesel in Germany the ifeu – Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Heidelberg was charged by VITO, Belgium, to create a survey, within the European project PREMIA 2005 is ...

May 2005
Revised ITTO criteria and indicators for the sustainable management of tropical forests

The purpose of the ITTO C&I is to provide member countries with a tool for monitoring, assessing and reporting changes and trends in forest conditions and management systems at the national and FMU levels. By ...

May 2005
Advancing bioenergy for sustainable development - Guideline for policymakers and investors (Joint UNDP/World Bank)

This report is part of Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP)’s work programme on the development of renewable energy resources.It provides a broad review of the issues that a policymaker or project developer may face ...

Apr 2005
Guidelines for growing grain legumes in Europe

AEP, the European Association for Grain Legume Research, is a European-based but internationally-active network of scientists and end-users concerned with grain legumes (peas, faba beans, lupins, chickpeas, lentils, Phaseolus beans, etc.).Legume seeds are rich in ...

Mar 2005
Jatropha Curcas L.: an international botanical answer to biodiesel production and renewable energy

This report was prepared by DOVE BIOTECH LTD. in order to describe Jatropha curcas l and it different uses. It presents a botanical description and refers to cases in different places in the world which ...

Mar 2005
Energy indicators for sustainable development: guidelines and methodologies

This publication is the product of an international initiative to define a set of Energy Indicators for Sustainable Development (EISD) and corresponding methodologies and guidelines. The successful completion of this work is the result of ...

Mar 2005
From Hong Kong to CSD. Making the multilateral trading system supportive of the transition to a sustainable energy future

International energy use and trade are currently in a state of flux, with issues related to both security and sustainability driving global adjustment in energy trade and policies. Trade in fossil fuels (oil) is characterised ...

Mar 2005
Criteria for assessing environmental, economic, and social aspects of biofuels in developing countries

Preliminary work on the potential of energy crops in developing countries (DCs) indicates an order of magnitude similar to the total transport fuel use of the EU-25 and the USA.If and to what extent this ...

Feb 2005
Markets and policies in Western and Eastern European countries

This report, elaborated for VIEWLS – CLEAR VIEWS on CLEAN FUELS (a European Commission-supported project), describes the development of the European biofuels market. It identifies the current political and economic conditions in the examined countries ...

Jan 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
Bankable Energy Efficiency Projects (BEEP) - Experiences in Central and Eastern European Countries

The brochure builds on the results and experiences of the EU-funded scheme “Bankable Energy Efficiency Projects (BEEP)”, which was implemented during the period from January 2003 through December 2004.The BEEP scheme was designed to develop ...

Jan 2005
Bio-energy in Europe: changing technology choices

Bio-energy is seen as one of the key options to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and substitute fossil fuels. This is certainly evident in Europe, where a kaleidoscope of activities and programs was and is executed ...

Dec 2004
Unified bioenergy terminology

This paper examines and reviews currently used terminology and definitions for woodfuels and other biofuels used in FAO, and in other major databases on biomass-based energy sources. It also proposes ways to improve the methodology ...

Dec 2004
Bioenergy. New growth for Germany

Renewable energies are good for the climate – that’s why the German Government wants to double their use by 2010, compared with 2000: for electricity, to 12.5%, and to 4% of its primary energy. More ...

Dec 2004
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
Policy initiative schemes and benefits of biofuel promotion in Germany - Current status of legislation and production

This presentation was delivered by Mr. Bockey on the occasion of the “Conference on biofuels. Challenges for Asian future”, that took place in the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, on 30 and 31 August ...

Aug 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
Techno-economic assessment of biofuel production in the European Union

In regard to the short and middle term options, biofuels seem to have an important role in the European Union with increasing production levels during the last years. Moreover, at the end of 2003, a ...

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
Review on biodiesel standardization world-wide

IEA Bioenergy, an international collaboration in Bioenergy, aims to accelerate the use of environmentally sound and cost-competitive bioenergy on a sustainable basis, and thereby achieve a substantial contribution to future energy demands.The main objectives of ...

May 2004
Reducing rural poverty through increased access to energy services - A review of the multifunctional platform project in Mali

The relationship between energy services and development outcomes is complex and influenced by many factors: social, economic, and environmental conditions and capacity at individual, institutional, local, and national levels. An improved understanding about the factors ...

Apr 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
Genetically modified crops - A decade of failure [1994 - 2004]

Friends of the Earth International, in collaboration with other organizations and local communities, has been a leading force against the release of GM crops. Friends of the Earth groups in countries as far flung as ...

Feb 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
Ecologically optimized extension of renewable energy utilization in Germany

The targeted climate protection objectives require that in the long term, renewables should become the principal source of energy supply with a share of about 50 percent by around the middle of the 21st century. ...

Jan 2004
Socio-economic analysis of bioenergy systems: a focus on employment

Energy is both an engine of development and a source of many of the economic and environmental problems we face today. Clean and affordable energy services are not only essential for a sustainable society but ...

Dec 2003
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
Cost of biodiesel production

The primary influences on the cost of manufacture of biodiesel are as follows:• Capital and operating costs of the plant, including the processing plant, services, catalyst, feedstock and product storage, and buildings.• Feedstock used in ...

May 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
Principles governing the long-run risks, benefits, and costs of agricultural biotechnology

The global debate over how agriculture and food systems can better meet people’s needs is passionate and often muddled. It is easy to get lost in the complex interactions between the many forces that shape ...

Apr 2003
Technical statement on the use of biodiesel fuel in compression ignition engines

The Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA) is an international membership organization representing the interests of manufacturers of internal combustion engines.In 1995, EMA published a “Statement on the Use of Biodiesel Fuels for Mobile Applications.” Since that ...

Feb 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
Biodiesel emissions

According with the U.S. National Biodiesel Board, biodiesel is the first and only alternative fuel to have a complete evaluation of emission results and potential health effects submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ...

Jan 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
The controlled eutrophication process: using microalgae for CO2 utilization and agricultural fertilizer recycling

In 1960, Oswald and Golueke presented a conceptual techno-economic analysis, "The Biological Transformation of Solar Energy", proposing the use of large-scale raceway ponds to cultivate microalgal on wastewater nutrients and then to anaerobically ferment the ...

Aug 2002
The energy balance of corn ethanol: an update

Ethanol production in the United States grew from just a few million gallons in the mid-1970s to over 1.7 billion gallons in 2001, spurred by national energy security concerns, new Federal gasoline standards, and government ...

Jul 2002
Macroeconomic evaluation of rape cultivation for biodiesel production in Germany

Biodiesel has been produced for the German market since 1993. The raw material is rapeseed oil that is chemically transesterified. As with other renewable energy sources (RES), the cultivation of RES rape for biodiesel production ...

Mar 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
Modelling the transition to a biofuel economy in Australia

In the international and Australian context there are two biomass based liquid transportation fuels that might replace petrol and diesel. These are ethanol and methanol although bio-diesel is also a well-developed technology. Ethanol is viewed ...

Apr 2000
Sugarcane production, processing and marketing in Tanzania

Sugarcane is one of the most important food and commercial crops of Tanzania. Its production is concentrated mainly in three regions: Morogoro, Kagera and Kilimanjaro.Most of the sugar produced in the country is for home ...

May 1998
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