Task Force on Sustainability starts work on bioenergy criteria and indicators

The GBEP Task Force on Sustainability was created last month to work on the development of global science-based criteria and indicators regarding the sustainability of bioenergy and to facilitate a coherent international discussion with a view to broadening understanding of sustainable bioenergy and effective ways of achieving it.

The first meeting of the sustainability Task Force was held on 19 June in Rio de Janeiro, hosted by the Brazilian government. The group decided to identify an initial set of key sustainability criteria under four groups or “baskets”: environmental, economic, social and issues related to energy security. The discussion produced a set of preliminary criteria as a basis for further work by the task force over the coming months. The group also agreed that its work should cover all biomass for energy, with the option of refining this for specific uses, such as liquid biofuels, at a later stage.

The Task Force will also develop an inventory of current initiatives on sustainable bioenergy development, which it was felt would be a useful tool for GBEP and others. This work will help to identify and discuss commonalities and differences in approaches as well as issues requiring further consideration.

The UK is the leading partner for the work of the Task Force, supported by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the International Energy Agency (IEA), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the US.
The main deliverable of this GBEP Task Force, expected to be finalised by April 2009, will provide a useful platform for stakeholders interested in bioenergy sustainability, to facilitate sharing of information, data, experiences and best practices. A further aim of this activity is to identify synergies between the various current initiatives and encourage closer joint working and integration where possible to promote greater consistency and reduce unnecessary duplication. This activity will also enhance our understanding of whether bioenergy production and use has any impact on food prices, taking into consideration different feedstocks, production methods and country specific realities.

Further information on the meeting, including presentations and the chair’s conclusions, are published on the GBEP website.

 

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