Top FAO and UN experts to weigh benefits and perils of bioenergy
Amid growing debate over the possible consequences of large-scale bioenergy production, top international experts meet at Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) headquarters in Rome for three days to review present knowledge of the issue and suggest a road map for the way ahead.
Experts from various countries, as well as specialists in energy, climate and the environment from the FAO and other UN agencies will assess the overall potential for bioenergy and weigh the fast-growing industry’s possible effects on food security.
"Bioenergy holds out enormous opportunities for farmers, especially in the developing world" says Gustavo Best, FAO’s Senior Energy Coordinator. "But there are dangers too, and we want to be very clear about them". In the past, FAO experts have seen bioenergy production as key in the fight against hunger.
The FAO recently launched the International Bioenergy Platform (IBEP) as a mechanism for organizing and facilitating a multidisciplinary and global approach to study the benefits and problems associated with bioenergy. IBEP is expected to provide analysis and information for policy and decision-making support; to build and strengthen institutional capacity at all levels; to enhance access to energy services from sustainable bioenergy systems; and to facilitate opportunities for effective international exchange and collaboration.
Another initiative, the UN's Global Bioenergy Partnership, has a mandate to facilitate a global political forum to promote bioenergy and to encourage the production, marketing and use of green fuels, with particular focus on developing countries. Experts from this Partnership will attend the top-level meeting too.
Biofuels, currently made from feedstock such as sugar cane, palm oil and maize, promise to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as they substitute for fossil energy and to create new jobs and infrastructure in rural areas:
bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: ethanol :: biodiesel :: biomass :: rural development :: food security :: poverty alleviation :: developing world ::
But critics warn they could cause environmental damage and loss of biodiversity as vast tracts of land are cleared for monocultures. Concern is also being voiced about the wisdom of diverting food crops away from human or animal consumption to make fuel for cars and trucks.
To address these challenges, the FAO Bioenergy and Food Security project was launched in January 2007, which will work to mainstream food security concerns into assessments of bioenergy potential. Analysis and field activities will be targeted to support sustainable rural development and food security initiatives.
A core project team, a Task Force, and an inter-disciplinary group of FAO technical staff will provide expertise and guidance over the three-year life of the project in collaboration with a number of external partners.
Country selection criteria are currently under development based on country typology, food security context, biomass potential and farming systems, agro-ecological zones.
Work is also underway to to provide longer-term technical guidance, particularly in terms of land and resource use modelling, as well as incorporate inputs on commodity markets and trade from FAO experts. These will assist countries to assess their comparative advantage in the field of bioenergy.
The experts in Rome will be called on to assess potentials for bioenergy production and identify ways of producing biofuels that are sustainable in terms of the environment and food security.
The meeting is expected to issue a set of recommendations when it ends on Wednesday.
More information:
UN News Center: Experts gather for UN meeting to discuss benefits and perils of bioenergy - April 16, 2007
FAO: Top experts to weigh impact of bioenergy - April 17, 2007
FAO, Natural Resources Management and Environment Department: International Bioenergy Platform.
UN: Global Bioenergy Partnership.
FAO: Bioenergy and food security project - January 2007.
FAO: FAO sees major shift to bioenergy - April 25, 2006
FAO: Bioenergy, key to the fight against hunger - April 14, 2005.
Experts from various countries, as well as specialists in energy, climate and the environment from the FAO and other UN agencies will assess the overall potential for bioenergy and weigh the fast-growing industry’s possible effects on food security.
"Bioenergy holds out enormous opportunities for farmers, especially in the developing world" says Gustavo Best, FAO’s Senior Energy Coordinator. "But there are dangers too, and we want to be very clear about them". In the past, FAO experts have seen bioenergy production as key in the fight against hunger.
The FAO recently launched the International Bioenergy Platform (IBEP) as a mechanism for organizing and facilitating a multidisciplinary and global approach to study the benefits and problems associated with bioenergy. IBEP is expected to provide analysis and information for policy and decision-making support; to build and strengthen institutional capacity at all levels; to enhance access to energy services from sustainable bioenergy systems; and to facilitate opportunities for effective international exchange and collaboration.
Another initiative, the UN's Global Bioenergy Partnership, has a mandate to facilitate a global political forum to promote bioenergy and to encourage the production, marketing and use of green fuels, with particular focus on developing countries. Experts from this Partnership will attend the top-level meeting too.
Biofuels, currently made from feedstock such as sugar cane, palm oil and maize, promise to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as they substitute for fossil energy and to create new jobs and infrastructure in rural areas:
bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: ethanol :: biodiesel :: biomass :: rural development :: food security :: poverty alleviation :: developing world ::
But critics warn they could cause environmental damage and loss of biodiversity as vast tracts of land are cleared for monocultures. Concern is also being voiced about the wisdom of diverting food crops away from human or animal consumption to make fuel for cars and trucks.
To address these challenges, the FAO Bioenergy and Food Security project was launched in January 2007, which will work to mainstream food security concerns into assessments of bioenergy potential. Analysis and field activities will be targeted to support sustainable rural development and food security initiatives.
A core project team, a Task Force, and an inter-disciplinary group of FAO technical staff will provide expertise and guidance over the three-year life of the project in collaboration with a number of external partners.
Country selection criteria are currently under development based on country typology, food security context, biomass potential and farming systems, agro-ecological zones.
Work is also underway to to provide longer-term technical guidance, particularly in terms of land and resource use modelling, as well as incorporate inputs on commodity markets and trade from FAO experts. These will assist countries to assess their comparative advantage in the field of bioenergy.
The experts in Rome will be called on to assess potentials for bioenergy production and identify ways of producing biofuels that are sustainable in terms of the environment and food security.
The meeting is expected to issue a set of recommendations when it ends on Wednesday.
More information:
UN News Center: Experts gather for UN meeting to discuss benefits and perils of bioenergy - April 16, 2007
FAO: Top experts to weigh impact of bioenergy - April 17, 2007
FAO, Natural Resources Management and Environment Department: International Bioenergy Platform.
UN: Global Bioenergy Partnership.
FAO: Bioenergy and food security project - January 2007.
FAO: FAO sees major shift to bioenergy - April 25, 2006
FAO: Bioenergy, key to the fight against hunger - April 14, 2005.
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