The development of biofuels has increased exponentially over the past decade, and will continue to do so as many countries seek to move away from dependence on fossil fuels. However, increasing use of biofuels raises serious questions about changing land use – and policymakers have found it hard to keep pace with the issues involved. A new paper, Biofuels and Land Use Change: A Science and Policy Review, prepared by science and agriculture organization CABI and Hart Energy Consulting, reviews key research that has been conducted on the subject and analyses where the gaps in knowledge lie. It is clear that several aspects of biofuel production may work against the very goals that biofuels policies are trying to achieve – the reduction of greenhouse gases and protection of scarce and valuable natural resources. The report recommends further monitoring, experimenting and modeling in different locations in order to assess the true impact of changing land use to accommodate biofuel production.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/review-highlights-knowledge-gaps-surrounding-biofuels-and-land-use-change-111592754.html