Producing biofuels in low-income countries: An integrated environmental and economic assessment for Tanzania

This paper jointly evaluates the greenhouse gas emissions and economic impacts from producing biofuels in Tanzania. Sequentially-linked models capture natural resource constraints; emissions from land use change; economywide growth linkages; and household poverty. Results indicate that there are eco...

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Main Authors: Branca, Giacomo, Felix, Erika, Maltsoglou, Irini, Rincón, Luis E., Thurlow, James
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Springer 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148157
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author Branca, Giacomo
Felix, Erika
Maltsoglou, Irini
Rincón, Luis E.
Thurlow, James
author_browse Branca, Giacomo
Felix, Erika
Maltsoglou, Irini
Rincón, Luis E.
Thurlow, James
author_facet Branca, Giacomo
Felix, Erika
Maltsoglou, Irini
Rincón, Luis E.
Thurlow, James
author_sort Branca, Giacomo
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This paper jointly evaluates the greenhouse gas emissions and economic impacts from producing biofuels in Tanzania. Sequentially-linked models capture natural resource constraints; emissions from land use change; economywide growth linkages; and household poverty. Results indicate that there are economic incentives to convert unused lands to sugarcane-ethanol production, but only grasslands (not forests) have a reasonable carbon payback period. There are also strong socioeconomic reasons to involve smallholders in feedstock production in order to reduce rural poverty, especially since our results indicate that biofuels have little effect on food production. Yet smallholders require more land than large-scale plantations and so face more binding natural resource and emissions constraints. Overall, environmental constraints alter the socioeconomically optimal biofuel strategy for Tanzania by limiting potential poverty reduction. Unlike previous studies, our integrated assessment suggests that a mixed farming system with greater emphasis on large-scale plantations is more appropriate for producing sugarcane-ethanol in Tanzania.
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spelling CGSpace1481572025-02-24T06:46:18Z Producing biofuels in low-income countries: An integrated environmental and economic assessment for Tanzania Branca, Giacomo Felix, Erika Maltsoglou, Irini Rincón, Luis E. Thurlow, James economic growth greenhouse gas emissions biofuels poverty climate change This paper jointly evaluates the greenhouse gas emissions and economic impacts from producing biofuels in Tanzania. Sequentially-linked models capture natural resource constraints; emissions from land use change; economywide growth linkages; and household poverty. Results indicate that there are economic incentives to convert unused lands to sugarcane-ethanol production, but only grasslands (not forests) have a reasonable carbon payback period. There are also strong socioeconomic reasons to involve smallholders in feedstock production in order to reduce rural poverty, especially since our results indicate that biofuels have little effect on food production. Yet smallholders require more land than large-scale plantations and so face more binding natural resource and emissions constraints. Overall, environmental constraints alter the socioeconomically optimal biofuel strategy for Tanzania by limiting potential poverty reduction. Unlike previous studies, our integrated assessment suggests that a mixed farming system with greater emphasis on large-scale plantations is more appropriate for producing sugarcane-ethanol in Tanzania. 2016-01-01 2024-06-21T09:23:57Z 2024-06-21T09:23:57Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148157 en http://hdl.handle.net/10419/96299 Open Access Springer Thurlow, James; Branca, Giacomo; Felix, Erika; Maltsoglou, Irini; Rincón, Luis E. 2016. Producing Biofuels in Low-Income Countries: An Integrated Climate and Economic Assessment for Tanzania. Environmental and Resource Economics 64(2): 153 - 171. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10640-014-9863-z
spellingShingle economic growth
greenhouse gas emissions
biofuels
poverty
climate change
Branca, Giacomo
Felix, Erika
Maltsoglou, Irini
Rincón, Luis E.
Thurlow, James
Producing biofuels in low-income countries: An integrated environmental and economic assessment for Tanzania
title Producing biofuels in low-income countries: An integrated environmental and economic assessment for Tanzania
title_full Producing biofuels in low-income countries: An integrated environmental and economic assessment for Tanzania
title_fullStr Producing biofuels in low-income countries: An integrated environmental and economic assessment for Tanzania
title_full_unstemmed Producing biofuels in low-income countries: An integrated environmental and economic assessment for Tanzania
title_short Producing biofuels in low-income countries: An integrated environmental and economic assessment for Tanzania
title_sort producing biofuels in low income countries an integrated environmental and economic assessment for tanzania
topic economic growth
greenhouse gas emissions
biofuels
poverty
climate change
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148157
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