EuropaBIO, 2008
Biofuels factsheet: Biofuels & land use
Land is a limited resource. The development of sustainability criteria will help avert unsustainable use of plant material for biofuel production. The use of biomass for fuel and energy purposes must not jeopardize European and third countries’ ability to secure its people’s food supply, nor should it prevent achieving environmental priorities such as protecting forests, preventing soil degradation and keeping a good ecological status of waters. The present report addresses the following key issues: Can Europe increase its biofuels production with current biomass resources? How can second generation biofuels production help meet the EU targets of 10% biofuels in 2020? Can we increase biofuels production without using more land? Do biofuels cause deforestation in tropical areas? Can yields be increased to address the need for more biofuels without using more water and land? How can we meet today’s demands of fuel and food? How does feedstock use and agricultural practices influence the GHG balance of biofuels?
