Biomass Binge - New Scientist, 13 November 2010
Europe's biofuel plans will produce more greenhouse emissions, not less. So says the first independent analysis of how Europe's 2020 targets will be met.
To grow biofuel crops as well as Europe's food, millions of hectares somewhere in the world would have to be cleared. This would release more than twice as much carbon as Europe's cars would produce if they stuck with petrol.
The Europen Union decided in 2007 to cut greenhouse emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, partly by replacing 10 per cent of transport fuel with biofuel. Now 23 of the 27 EU countries have released their energy plans to meet the 2020 target, but they did not calculate knock-on effects on land.
The Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), based in London and Brussels, has. It reckons 4.1 to 6.9 hectares of land must be cleared to meet the targets and feed Eueope.
The IEEP calculates that 80 to 167 per cent more carbon emissions will be released from 2011 to 2020 than if the EU sticks to fossil fuels - the equivalent of another 12 to 26 million cars on the road. Despite this, the process has started: Europe is already grabbing land in Africa to service its projected biofuel needs.
To grow biofuel crops as well as Europe's food, millions of hectares somewhere in the world would have to be cleared. This would release more than twice as much carbon as Europe's cars would produce if they stuck with petrol.
The Europen Union decided in 2007 to cut greenhouse emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, partly by replacing 10 per cent of transport fuel with biofuel. Now 23 of the 27 EU countries have released their energy plans to meet the 2020 target, but they did not calculate knock-on effects on land.
The Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), based in London and Brussels, has. It reckons 4.1 to 6.9 hectares of land must be cleared to meet the targets and feed Eueope.
The IEEP calculates that 80 to 167 per cent more carbon emissions will be released from 2011 to 2020 than if the EU sticks to fossil fuels - the equivalent of another 12 to 26 million cars on the road. Despite this, the process has started: Europe is already grabbing land in Africa to service its projected biofuel needs.
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Re: Biomass Binge - New Scientist, 13 November 2010
Re: Biomass Binge - New Scientist, 13 November 2010