The GHG Balance of Biofuels Taking into Account Land Use Change (Power Point)

The contribution of biofuels to the saving of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has recentlybeen questioned because of emissions resulting from land use change (LUC) for bioenergyfeedstock production. We investigate how the inclusion of the carbon effect of LUC into thecarbon accounting framework, as scheduled by the European Commission, impacts on landuse choices for an expanding biofuel feedstock production. We first illustrate the change inthe carbon balances of various biofuels, using methodology and data from the IPCCGuidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. It becomes apparent that theconversion of natural land, apart from grassy savannahs, impedes meeting the EU’s 35%minimum emissions reduction target for biofuels. We show that the current accountingmethod mainly promotes biofuel feedstock production on former cropland, thus increasingthe competition between food and fuel production on the currently available cropland area.We further discuss whether it is profitable to use degraded land for commercial bioenergyproduction as requested by the European Commission to avoid undesirable LUC andconclude that the current regulation provides little incentive to use such land. The exclusiveconsideration of LUC for bioenergy production minimizes direct LUC at the expense ofincreasing indirect LUC.