C R O P S T O I N D U S T R YC R O P S T O I N D U S T R Y

WP 5 SustainabilityTasks 5.2 and 5.3

Task leader: Oeko-Institut

Crops2IndustryCrops2Industry“Non-food Crops-to-Industry

schemes in EU27”

C R O P S T O I N D U S T R YC R O P S T O I N D U S T R Y

Content

1. Objectives2. Progress of work3. Some first results4. Problems to be solved 5. Next steps

C R O P S T O I N D U S T R YC R O P S T O I N D U S T R Y

1. Objectives

• Assess selected production and environmental impacts

• Identify ‘core’ list of standards and criteria for environmental and socio-economic sustainability of

– selected non-food crops-to-industrial-products systems

– in a global and country-specific perspective

C R O P S T O I N D U S T R YC R O P S T O I N D U S T R Y

2. Progress of work

• Related activities of Oeko-Institut– German BMU/UBA “bio global” study (iLUC, land use, biodiversity)– IEE Project “Biomass Futures” (WP 4 – Sustainability)– CEN sustainability standards for bioenergy TC 383 + ISO PC– European Biofuels Technology Platform WG 4 (Sustainability)– IEA Bioenergy Task 40 "Sustainable Bioenergy Trade"– Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB)– Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) Sustainability Task Force– UNEP-FAO-UNIDO Targeted Research for GEF

• Activities will feed into WP Tasks 5.2 + 5.3 • Work of BOKU (Task 5.1): consider linking criteria to spatial disaggregation

C R O P S T O I N D U S T R YC R O P S T O I N D U S T R Y

3. Some first results

• “Critical” environmental issues– direct and indirect land use change (LUC) and its

impacts on GHG balances, and biodiversity: non-food crops grown on arable could lead to ILUC…

– agrobiodiversity: possibly positive (scale-dependent)• “Critical” social issues

– food security impacts: depend on arable land use– employment: data needed for 4F crops, but positive!!!

• Key research issues– spatially disaggregation (using Environmental Zones

based on EEA work 2005-2007 on biomass potentials) – long-term: role of genetically modified organisms (GMO)

C R O P S T O I N D U S T R YC R O P S T O I N D U S T R Y

..on ILUC

• Indirect LUC: all incremental biomass crops (electricity, heat, transport, materials, food, feed, fiber)

• Options to reduce ILUC risk:

– Use “degraded“ land higher costs, incentives needed + biodiversity/social safeguards

– Use land „freed“ from yield increase (how to measure?); possibly: convert hi-intense grassland?

• Long-term: strengthen global conventions to “cap“ iLUC effects on GHG + biodiversity only real solution!

C R O P S T O I N D U S T R YC R O P S T O I N D U S T R Y

Biomass crops

Residues/wastes

Priority: Material use first!

End of “cascade“: Energy Use

Biomass: Cascading!

C R O P S T O I N D U S T R YC R O P S T O I N D U S T R Y

Problems to be solved

• no problems, but opportunities:

– life-cycle data on some plants (“specialty products”, e.g. pharmaceuticals/medicinal) not available, estimates could be done need to clarify list of cropping systems

– data on direct employment from 4F crop cultivation and conversion

– spatial distribution of future production areas not yet available ( BOKU)

C R O P S T O I N D U S T R YC R O P S T O I N D U S T R Y

Next steps

•Collaboration with BOKU on disaggregation: meeting in DA or Vienna in Jan/Feb needed!

• Follow ILUC discussion (EU, US…), discuss possible use of hi-intense grassland for 4F cropping (next project meeting)

• consider new German BMU/UBA project on sustainable biomaterials and BfN project on biodiversity (more info next project meeting)

• Include outcome of other activities (GBEP, RSB, GEF), prepare paper on status and “core list“