Biomass assessment: Assessment of global biomass potentials and their links to food, water, biodiversity, energy demand and economy

van Egmond, Sander
Lysen, Erik

2008

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This Supporting Document contains the result of the inventory phase of the study: “Biomass Assessment: Assessment of global biomass potentials and their links to food, water, biodiversity, energy demand and materials”. The study was commissioned and supported by the Netherlands Research Program on Climate Change (NRP-CC), subprogram Scientific Assessment and Policy Analysis (WAB). Main objectives of the assessment study: 1. To provide clear insight in the linkages between the impacts of (large-scale) use of biomass for energy and material on food supplies, water use, nature and biodiversity, and in macroeconomic terms. 2. Provide insight in regional and site-specific elements in the above mentioned issues. 3. To translate the results of the assessment into an overview of the more and less certain issues with respect to biomass resource potentials and to policy relevant recommendations on how to develop and use biomass resources in a sustainable way, including research and development needs. Part 1 comprises an extensive assessment of recent literature on the key areas distinguished: biomass potentials and land use, food production, water, biodiversity and macro-economic analyses. Furthermore, GHG balances of biomass use for energy are distinguished as a separate topic. Distinction is made between various biomass resourcetechnology combinations and different settings for biomass production. Part 2 is an integration component, which describes the linkages between the different key areas and quantifies the consequences of the results of the assessment to the extent that available models and tools allow doing so. A limitation of this study is that no new models will be developed. Part 3 translates the results of the assessment and the integration activities into an extensive assessment of the uncertainties of future biomass resource potentials and which factors are of major and which of lesser importance. Based on this, policy recommendations further steps to reduce uncertainties and fill gaps in knowledge are identified. Part 1 is reported in this Supporting Document, while Part 2 and 3 are covered in the Main Report of the study. [Extracto, Introduction]

Aspectos ambientales; Biomasa; Nivel mundial; Potenciales; Seguridad alimentaria;