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2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Water for Bioenergy or Food?Topic Introduction
Nadine McCormick International Union for Conservation of Naturewww.iucn.org/energynadine.mccormick@iucn.org
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Bioenergy context
Volatile oil prices
Climate change
Energy security
Rural development
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Real bioenergy context?
Voltatile oil
prices
Climate change
Energy security
Rural development
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Key definitions
• Bioenergy - any energy sourced from non-fossil biomass used for heat, electrical power, or transport.
• Biofuels – liquid fuels derived from biomass that can be used for transport or heating purposes – bioethanol – produced from crops such as sugarcane,
sugarbeet, corn, wheat and barley – biodiesel – produced from seeds such as palm, jatropha,
rapeseed, sunflower and soy
• “1st generation” biofuels – traditional production from sugars, starches and oils contained in plants
• “2nd generation” biofuels – produced from cellulose contained in wood, grasses and agricultural waste
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Biomass in world energy use • More than 2.5bn people depend on traditional forms of
biomass WEO (2008)
• Biomass accounts for approx.10% world primary energy demand, 7% if traditional biomass use is excluded (6% for heat, 1% for transport)
• Biofuels: 1.5% in 2006, predicted up to 5% in 2030
Source: OECD/IEA, 2008
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Global biofuel policy targets
• More than 50 targets/mandates worldwide
Source: As at March 2008 Petersen (ERAE, 2008)
http://erae.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/jbn016v1
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Global biofuel policy targets
• Some revisions down but all targets and mandates maintained
New Zealand M 2.5 per cent ethanol share by 2012
Queensland M 5% 2008 biodiesel mandate blocked, set for 2010 introduction
USA M Will fall short of mandate by 20%
Thailand M Reduction in price of B5 biodiesel
Germany M biodiesel blend for 2009 reduced from 6.25% to 5.25%
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Source: Guardian, 22 Nov 2008 http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/nov/22/food-biofuels
World food, feed, fibre and energy production will require a 10% increase in farmland by 2030 (OECD, 2008)
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Rising food prices?
http://seekingalpha.com/article/116558-global-slowdown-to-hit-low-income-countries-hard-in-2009
• Historically low food prices
• Lower stocks as growth in demand greater than supply (higher meat consumption, stagnating yields, etc.)
• Low investment
• PLUS shocks of:
– Droughts
– Higher input costs
– Biofuel policies – responsibility for approx. 30% of 2008 price spike (FAO)
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Availability
Access
Stability Utilization
It’s not just the price
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Food security assessmentsPotential negative effects Potential positive effects
• Reduced access to food due to price increases driven by competition for biomass for energy
• Decreased food availability due to replacement of subsistence farm land by energy plantations
• Increased environmental pressure due to introduction or expansion of unsustainable bioenergy systems (water pollution, biodiversity loss, land degradation)
• Price pressure on other goods and services related to land-use and biomass
• Competition for resources – land use, water and labour
• Diversification of feedstock crops• Infrastructure development and
employment (rural)• Diversification of domestic energy
supply• Reduced household energy burden
(women and children)• SME energy access improved• Increased agricultural investment and
technological advances• Climate change mitigation• Revenue from payment for
environmental services and monetization of carbon credits
Based on FAO Bioenergy and Food Security Project Proposal (2006)
?
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Win-win-win-win?
• E.g. Decentralised biodiesel resource centers for improving rural energy services and poverty alleviation (India)
• Resource assessment identified indigenous tree species- Callophyllum inophyllum – IUCN Red List Species AND– potential for renewable energy
development (Straight Vegetable oil-SVO(55%)
Applied Environmental Research Foundation (www.aerfindia.org)
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Water/energy relationships
Source: International Water Association
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Comparing water footprints
• uranium (0.09 m3/GJ)• natural gas (0.11 m3/GJ)• coal (0.16 m3/GJ• crude oil (1.06 m3/GJ). • wind energy (negligible)• solar thermal energy (0.30
m3/GJ)• hydropower 22.3 m3/GJ• Biomass: 24 - 143 m3/GJ
Source: UNESCO-IHE (2008)
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Different pathways
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Not all crops are the same!
• uranium (0.09 m3/GJ)• natural gas (0.11 m3/GJ)• coal (0.16 m3/GJ• crude oil (1.06 m3/GJ). • wind energy (negligible)• solar thermal energy (0.30
m3/GJ)• hydropower 22.3 m3/GJ• Biomass: 24 - 143 m3/GJ
Source: UNESCO-IHE (2008)
• Feedstock and location make a difference
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
Barley Wheat Corn Sugar beet Sugarcane
Soybean Castorbeans
Sunflowerseed
Rapeseed Jatropha Palm oil
Lit
ers
pe
r H
ec
tare
S o u rc e : F u lto n e t a l.
Ethanol Feedstock
Biodiesel Feedstock
Biofuel yields of selected feedstock
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Differing GHG lifecycle emissions
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Factors for determining impact • Scale of production – industrial vs small scale/intensive or
extensive
• Crop used and how it’s grown and harvested (e.g. rain-fed, irrigation efficiency, etc.)
• Competition vs. substitution effect
• Local ecosystem and climate
• Other policy areas (energy, environment, agriculture, rural development)
• Governance effectiveness and stakeholder engagement
• Future variability of factors - climate change, financial crisis, etc.
Need integrated decision-making
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Priorities and trade-offs
• Economies of scale vs. poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation
• Resource competition avoidance vs. high yields
• Food crop avoidance vs. market flexibility and reduced risks
• Greenhouse gas reduction vs. need for liquid fuels for transportation
• Efficient water use vs. high yields Need to identify real policy priorities and incentivise accordingly
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Apply existing tools
• Environmental flows allow allocation through negotiation by stakeholders within the limits of availability, to including for ecosystem services
• Lessons from agriculture and other sectors?
www.iucn.org/energy
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Main messages1. Water key for both energy and agriculture
– need coordinated of policies and integrated decision-making on bioenergy
2. Not all biofuels are the same – need to tools to distinguish better from worse and promote best practice
3. Focus on real priorities and adjust risk assessment accordingly
4. Biofuels is a new market for agriculture – apply the lessons and tools we know now, don’t wait!
2.3.3. Water for bioenergy or food, World Water Forum, 19th March 2009
Key issues to considerPolicies• Is there really a food vs. food
dilemma? • Should bioenergy policies differ
from agricultural policies?Implementation• Are multi-purpose crops better for
food security? • If and how can we avoid conflict in
resource use, especially for water?