Catalysing Biofuel Sustainability – International and National Policy Interventions

Biofuels are liquid and gaseous fuels produced from the chemical and biological processing of biomass. Depending on the raw material (feedstock) and the conversion technology used, biofuels can be divided into three categories: first generation (from sugar and starch crops, and animal/plant fats and oils), second generation (mainly from lignocellulosic matter) and third generation (from algae). First-generation liquid biofuels for transport, such as bioethanol and biodiesel, which are by far the most widely produced and hotly debated biofuels, are the focus of this paper. A rich literature produced in the past decade shows that different biofuel options can have significantly different environmental and socio-economic impacts. However, national biofuel policies usually seek to boost biofuel demand rather than enhance biofuel sustainability.

This paper starts by identifying the main policy drivers behind biofuel production, and the peripheral role of biofuel sustainability in current policies. The authors focus particularly on the successes and future challenges of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in promoting sustainable biofuel production and use.

Finally, using sub-Saharan Africa as an example, they show how the concept of “ecosystem services” can be of use in the better understanding of biofuel-related trade-offs and can provide the basis for assessment tools that can quantify such trade-offs in a policy-relevant manner.

Read the article (external link to journal, paywall)