Sustainable Bioenergy: A Framework for Decision Makers

UN-Energy

2007

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This paper on sustainable bioenergy was drafted collectively by UN-Energy members, which include all of the United Nations (UN) agencies, programmes, and organizations working in the area of energy, reflecting their insights and expertise. The paper points to key social, economic, and ecological sustainability issues raised by the rapid development of bioenergy in both small- and large-scale applications. It encompasses the entire bioenergy value chain, from production to use, with the goal of providing a framework for decision-makers who are considering adopting new policies or launching new investments in the bioenergy sector. It is not designed to provide prescriptive measures, but rather to identify areas that require priority attention at the national and international levels. The paper encompasses all bioenergy systems but focuses in particular on modern bioenergy, which includes liquid biofuels, biogas, and solid biomass for heat and power generation. Traditional use of bioenergy, in the form of inefficient direct combustion, is prevalent in many poor rural regions but is not the primary focus of this document. Because of rapidly increasing attention to liquid biofuels, this paper discusses these in more detail than other The issues raised by bioenergy development are complex and highly dependent on local circumstances (climatic, agronomic, economic, and social), such that sweeping generalizations about the efficacy of particular approaches are rarely valid. The paper is intended to raise key questions and explain the principal trade-offs involved in bioenergy development, and to contribute to both the international discourse on these issues and the informed decision-making of policy makers. Growing commitments to bioenergy in recent years are based on studies showing that the diversification of energy supplies can contribute to both economic and environmental goals, including the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), adopted in 2000. [Extractos: Section 1]

Agricultura; Aspectos ambientales; Bioenergía; Cambio climático; Seguridad alimentaria; Seguridad energética; Sostenibilidad;