Experts who contributed to the report assess the range of 'sustainability' issues that the biofuels industry will have to address in the years ahead. The study found that growth in biofuels production may have unexpected economic benefits for the poorest if social and environmental issues are taken into account by decision-makers.
Seeking food security by driving agricultural prices lower will hurt more people than it helps, note the authors. However, nations that develop domestic biofuels industries will be able to purchase fuel from farmers rather than spending scarce foreign exchange on import oil, they argue.
The book concludes that the long-term potential of biofuels lies in the use of non-food feedstock such as agricultural and forestry waste, as well as fast-growing, cellulose energy crops such as perennial grasses and trees.
The study therefore recommends policies that protect natural resources and support a speedy transition to improved biofuels technology. Moreover, free trade in biofuels should be coupled with social and environmental certification and a credible system to certify compliance.
_stack2.jpg){kind=small}
