Take a closer look: Biofuels can support environmental, economic and social goals

The U.S. Congress passed the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) eight years ago. Since then, biofuels have gone from darling to scapegoat for many environmentalists, policy makers, and the general public. The reasons for this shift are complex and include concerns about environmental degradation, uncertainties about impact on food security, overly optimistic timetables and new access to fossil fuels (perhaps also over-hyped?).

 As a result, many people have written off biofuels. However, numerous studies indicate that biofuels, if managed sustainably, can help solve many pressing environmental, social, and economic problems.  In other words, many “win-win” opportunities exist whereby sustainable biofuels can contribute to other important societal goals.

This session provides an opportunity for the scientific and policy communities to take a closer look at biofuels by reviewing the key assumptions underlying opposition to biofuels and to carefully consider the probable alternatives. Liquid fuels based on fossil raw materials are likely to come at increasing environmental cost. Sustainable futures require energy conservation, increased efficiency, and alternatives to fossil fuels, including biofuels. The session especially welcomes papers focused on means by which biofuels can contribute to solving other high priority problems. The topics covered in this interdisciplinary session will include biofuels and biochemicals production and:

• policy
• rural development
• climate change
• sustainability
• agriculture and forestry development.