Bridges Trade BioRes • Volume 6 • Number 18 • 20th October 2006

Conference Promotes Sustainable Bioenergy Agenda

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Experts from governments, NGOs, business and science gathered from 12-13 October at an international conference on “Sustainable Bioenergy - Challenges and Opportunities” in Bonn — hosted by the German NGO Forum Environment & Development and the United Nations Foundation — to discuss the opportunities for bioenergy, assess sustainability challenges and try to identify viable solutions for promoting bioenergy.

While generally recognising the potential of bioenergy in promoting sustainable development, participants acknowledged that bioenergy was only part of bigger picture, and had to be examined in relation to agriculture and food production, environment and ecosystems as well as the economics of energy.

On the positive side, bioenergy has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and could generate important employment in rural areas both in the developed and developing countries.

However, the production of biofuels also present serious social and environmental risks that need to be addressed. In particular, the issue of competition between food and energy production — especially with regard to biofuels generated from food crops — was raised. Global energy needs as such are also too great to be met by bioenergy, and there is a need to put in place policies and mechanisms to ensure that bioenergy production does not lead to further environmental degradation, such as deforestation and loss of biodiversity.

Several presentations highlighted the potential of developing countries for taking advantage of bioenergy both for domestic energy use and the export market. Participants felt, however, that domestic needs should be filled first. Participants also discussed a number of international trade issues that needed to be better understood in terms of their contribution to advancing a sustainable bioenergy agenda. These included market access, the issue of subsidies, the need for and merit of having social and environmental standards, as well as labelling schemes.

Participants agreed to put in place a web-based mechanism that would build on the momentum generated at the meeting and allow for further interactive dialogues to take place.

For further information on the meeting and to view the presentations, visit http://www.forum-ue.de/bioenergy/e/conference.html.

ICTSD reporting.