news/updates
Authorities study long-term benefits of ethanol feedstocks
By Melody M. Aguiba
Manila Bulletin
September 13, 2007
Bioenergy authorities are looking into the life cycle of ethanol feedstocks and an analysis f their sustainability to determine their longer-term socio-economic and environmental impact.
A biofuel consultation including experts from the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) indicated that there is a need to study ethanol feedstocks in relation to energy balance and greenhouse gas balance.
The feedstocks' standard life-cycle should be studied including for corn, sugarcane, cassava, sweet sorghum and biomass.
Moreover, an important aspect is a look into whether biofuel will indeed have a positive influence on poverty alleviation as one of the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations.
"Poverty is still widespread in Asia. It is not clear to what extent poor farmers will benefit from the Bioenergy Revolution. What is clear is that the introduction of biofuel crops cause major land use changes, reported the biofuel consultation group.
"Policy makers need to protect the poor from rising commodity prices likely to be triggered by … expansion of biofuel crops."
While private companies are also engaged in biofuel research and development (R&D), governments should ensure that such private sector R&D should benefit the poor.
