Bioenergy and agriculture: Promises and challenges: Environmental effects of bioenergy

As concerns about climate change and energy security rise, bioenergy is often proposed as a renewable energy source that can be cost-effectively scaled up to a level that would allow it to contribute significantly to meeting global energy demand. Given that bioenergy can be generated in myriad wa...

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Autor principal: Kartha, Sivan
Formato: Brief
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: International Food Policy Research Institute 2006
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/160525
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author Kartha, Sivan
author_browse Kartha, Sivan
author_facet Kartha, Sivan
author_sort Kartha, Sivan
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description As concerns about climate change and energy security rise, bioenergy is often proposed as a renewable energy source that can be cost-effectively scaled up to a level that would allow it to contribute significantly to meeting global energy demand. Given that bioenergy can be generated in myriad ways, however, using various feedstocks and various energy technologies, few universal conclusions can be drawn about its environmental effects. One can easily imagine biomass production systems that are ideally suited to their environment, and even contribute to improving the environment by revegetating barren land, protecting watersheds, providing habitat for local species, and sequestering carbon, all while contributing to livelihoods of rural communities. Yet one can just as easily imagine biomass production systems that are fossil fuel intensive, exhaust the soil of nutrients, exacerbate erosion, deplete or degrade water resources, reduce biodiversity by displacing habitat, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and threaten the livelihoods of local communities. As with agricultural pursuits generally, the net impact of a bioenergy critically depends on how it is generated.
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spelling CGSpace1605252025-11-06T04:42:13Z Bioenergy and agriculture: Promises and challenges: Environmental effects of bioenergy Kartha, Sivan biofuels climate change As concerns about climate change and energy security rise, bioenergy is often proposed as a renewable energy source that can be cost-effectively scaled up to a level that would allow it to contribute significantly to meeting global energy demand. Given that bioenergy can be generated in myriad ways, however, using various feedstocks and various energy technologies, few universal conclusions can be drawn about its environmental effects. One can easily imagine biomass production systems that are ideally suited to their environment, and even contribute to improving the environment by revegetating barren land, protecting watersheds, providing habitat for local species, and sequestering carbon, all while contributing to livelihoods of rural communities. Yet one can just as easily imagine biomass production systems that are fossil fuel intensive, exhaust the soil of nutrients, exacerbate erosion, deplete or degrade water resources, reduce biodiversity by displacing habitat, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and threaten the livelihoods of local communities. As with agricultural pursuits generally, the net impact of a bioenergy critically depends on how it is generated. 2006 2024-11-21T09:51:01Z 2024-11-21T09:51:01Z Brief https://hdl.handle.net/10568/160525 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Kartha, Sivan. Bioenergy and agriculture: Promises and challenges: Environmental effects of bioenergy. 2020 Vision Focus Brief. 14(4). International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/focus14ch4.
spellingShingle biofuels
climate change
Kartha, Sivan
Bioenergy and agriculture: Promises and challenges: Environmental effects of bioenergy
title Bioenergy and agriculture: Promises and challenges: Environmental effects of bioenergy
title_full Bioenergy and agriculture: Promises and challenges: Environmental effects of bioenergy
title_fullStr Bioenergy and agriculture: Promises and challenges: Environmental effects of bioenergy
title_full_unstemmed Bioenergy and agriculture: Promises and challenges: Environmental effects of bioenergy
title_short Bioenergy and agriculture: Promises and challenges: Environmental effects of bioenergy
title_sort bioenergy and agriculture promises and challenges environmental effects of bioenergy
topic biofuels
climate change
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/160525
work_keys_str_mv AT karthasivan bioenergyandagriculturepromisesandchallengesenvironmentaleffectsofbioenergy