BOX 6: Potential benefits and negative effects of bioenergy development

Potential benefits

• Diversification of agricultural output
• Stimulation of rural economic development and contribution to poverty reduction
• Increase in food prices and higher income for farmers
• Development of infrastructure and employment in rural areas
• Lower greenhouse gas emissions
• Increased investment in land rehabilitation
• New revenues generated from the use of wood and agricultural residues, and from carbon credits
• Reduction in energy dependence and diversification of domestic energy supply, especially in rural areas
• Access to affordable and clean energy for small and medium-sized rural enterprises

Potential negative impacts

• Reduced local food availability if energy crop plantations replace
• subsistence farmland
• Increased food prices for consumers
• Demand for land for energy crops may increase deforestation, reduce biodiversity and increase greenhouse gas emissions
• Increased number of pollutants
• Modifications to requirements for vehicles and fuel infrastructures
• Higher fuel production costs
• Increased wood removals leading to the degradation of forest ecosystems
• Displacement of small farmers and concentration of land tenure and incomes
• Reduced soil quality and fertility from intensive cultivation of bioenergy crops
• Distortion of subsidies on other sectors and creation of inequities across countries

Source & © Sources: FAO, 2000; UN-Energy, 2007; Perley, 2008]

Forests & Energy

Figure 1. Total marketed energy consumption for OECD and non-OECD countries, 1990–2030*

Figure 2. Fuel shares of world total primary energy supply in 2004(%)

Figure 3. Total global marketed energy consumption by source in 2004 and projected for 2030

Figure 4. Marketed renewable energy consumption for OECD and non-OECD countries, 1990–2030*

Figure 5. Percentage of marketed renewable energy in total energy consumption for OECD and non-OECD countries in 2004 and projected for 2030

Figure 6. World renewable energy consumption by region for 2002 and projected for 2030

Figure 7. Total primary energy supply (TPES) from biofuels for G8+5 countries (PJ)

Figure 8. Percentage primary energy supply from bioenergy

Figure 9. Total growing stock (billion m3)

Figure 10. Woodfuel consumption for OECD and non-OECD countries 1990, projections for 2010 and 2030

Figure 11. Per capita woodfuel consumption for OECD and non-OECD countries 1990, projections for 2010 and 2030

Figure 12. Wood removals in Africa

Figure 13. Europe Brent Spot Price FOB, 1987–2008

Figure 14. Global greenhouse gas emissions in 2000 by sector (%)

Figure 15. Comparison of greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels derived from various sources

Figure 16. Competitiveness of biofuels by feedstock

Table 1. World total marketed energy consumption by region and fuel, 1990–2030 (quadrillion Btu)

Table 2. World consumption of hydroelectricity and other marketed renewable energy by region, 1990–2030 (quadrillion Btu)

Table 3. Global increase in renewable energy

Table 4. People using traditional biomass (millions)

Table 5. Share of fuels in total merchandise by region

Table 6. Wood residues from forest industry operations in Brazil (% of total wood harvested)

Price of oil (2003-2008)

BOX 6: Potential benefits and negative effects of bioenergy development