Biofuels: no viable solution for climate, survey reveals

Climate professionals across the world have no faith in the current generation of biofuels, placing them bottom of a list of 18 technologies with carbon-reduction potential, according to a survey published on 10 December 2007 by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the World Bank.

Solar power, wind farms, tidal energy, clean coal and nuclear technologies and even bicycles are expected to contribute more to reducing CO2 levels over the next 25 years, according to a survey of a thousand decision-makers representing governments, the private sector, NGOs and media from 105 countries. 

According to the report, only 21% of respondents believe in the potential of first-generation biofuels, made from agricultural crops, such as ethanol and biodiesel, to “lower overall carbon levels in the atmosphere without unacceptable side effects”. 

On the other hand, over 70% of respondents said they were confident in the potential of solar power for hot water and electricity, while nuclear and second-generation biofuels, made from non-food crops, each got backing from more than 400 of the thousand respondents. 

The survey comes ahead of the publication of Commission proposals, expected in January 2008, to boost the share of biofuels in transport fuels from current levels of less than 2% to 10% by 2020 (EURACTIV 11/01/07). 

The results, however, appear to confirm rising concerns that imposing a mandatory target could impact negatively both on the environment and on food security. 

While the Commission says it will deal with these concerns through the introduction of binding sustainability criteria, green NGO Friends of the Earth Europe (FoE), which has published a leaked draft of the EU executive’s plans, says the proposed criteria will fail to adequately protect ecosystems and people in developing countries (EURACTIV 10/12/07). 

“Using crops to produce fuel is a false solution to climate change – the real solutions lie in forcing car companies to produce cleaner cars, improving public transport and making our towns and cities more energy efficient,” said FoE climate campaigner Adrian Bebb. 

But biofuel producers claim that first-generation biofuels are needed in the short term as second-generation ones are still far from being commercially viable. 

Read more with Euractiv

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