Sustainability Standards for Bioenergy

Published by: WWF Germany, Frankfurt am Main, November 2006Authors: Uwe R. Fritsche, Katja Hnecke, Andreas Hermann, Falk Schulze, Kirsten Wiegmann with contributions from Michel Adolphe, ko-Institut e.V., DarmstadtContact/Editor: Imke Lbbeke, WWF Germany, Office Berlin, Phone: +49 030 308742-22, e-mail: luebbeke@wwf.deLayout: Astrid Ernst, Text- und Bildgestaltung, Bremen

WWF Germany, Frankfurt am Main

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Cover photos: Sonnenblumenfeld Marek Czaenoljd

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Foreword Sustainability standards for bioenergy are a key issue from an environmental and nature-protection viewpoint. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Germany is promoting activities in this direction. To further the ongoing discussion and offer a concrete proposal for standards, WWF Germany commissioned a brief study from the ko-Institut (Institute for Applied Ecology). The study provides an overview of key ecological and social impacts of bioenergy and develops a core set of standards which could ensure the sustainability of future bioenergy supplies.

The scientific work was based on existing studies, other research results and information already available within the ko-Institut.

This final report summarizes the key findings of this work. It should be understood as a discussion paper that aims to promote further discussion and implementation on different policy levels and with different stakeholders. The report is not a position paper of WWF Germany.

WWF and ko-Institut would like to thank all contributors especially those who participated in the discussions on the drafts of this study at the informal Biomass Round Table organized by WWF Germany from spring to fall 2006 in Berlin for their valuable comments, critique and helpful hints.

We would also like to thank Jean-Francois Dallemand (JRC-Ispra) and Ingmar Juergens (FAO) for their input and detailed review.

Berlin, November 2006 Imke Lbbeke, WWF Germany

Darmstadt, November 2006 The Authors (ko-Institut)

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Foreword ............................................................................................................................................. 3

Report Overview ................................................................................................................................... 6

1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 71.1 Global potential of bioenergy .................................................................................................... 81.2 Sustainability issues of bioenergy development ....................................................................... 91.3 Standards and certification schemes .......................................................................................... 9

2. Key Environmental and Social Concerns of Bioenergy Production and Core Sustainability Standards ................................................................................................................. 102.1 Land use, land availability and land-use conflicts .................................................................. 10

2.1.1 Clarification of land ownership .................................................................................... 132.1.2 Avoiding negative impacts from bioenergy-driven changes in land use ...................... 132.1.3 Priority for food supply and food security .................................................................... 14

2.2 Loss of biodiversity and deforestation .................................................................................... 152.2.1 No additional negative biodiversity impacts ................................................................ 16

2.3 Greenhouse-gas emissions ...................................................................................................... 182.3.1 Minimization of greenhouse-gas emissions ................................................................. 18

2.4 Soil erosion and other forms of soil degradation .................................................................... 192.4.1 Minimization of soil erosion and degradation .............................................................. 19

2.5 Water use and water contamination ......................................................................................... 192.5.1 Minimization of water use and avoidance of water contamination .............................. 20

2.6 Socio-economic problems and standards ................................................................................ 202.6.1 Improvement of labor conditions and worker rights .................................................... 202.6.2 Ensuring a share of proceeds ........................................................................................ 212.6.3 Avoiding human health impacts .................................................................................... 21

2.7 Summary of recommended standards ..................................................................................... 212.8 Standards in perspective .......................................................................................................... 22

3. Legal Situation and Implementation Options for Sustainability Standards ................................... 233.1 International, European and national policy analysis ............................................................. 23

3.1.1 Legal framework on an international level ................................................................... 233.1.2 Legal framework at the European level ........................................................................ 243.1.3 Legal framework at the National Level ........................................................................ 27

3.2 Instruments (examples) ........................................................................................................... 283.2.1 Feed-in tariffs ................................................................................................................ 283.2.2 Tax exemption/reduction .............................................................................................. 283.2.3 (Admixture) Quotas ...................................................................................................... 293.2.4 Import regulations ......................................................................................................... 29

Contents

4. Implementation of Sustainability Standards for Bioenergy ........................................................... 304.1 The Ideal regulation ............................................................................................................. 304.2 Bottom-up activities and further approach .............................................................................. 314.3 Recommendations on implementing sustainability standards ................................................ 314.4 Beyond bioenergy: sustainable carbon? .................................................................................. 32

References ......................................................................................................................................... 33

Annexes ............................................................................................................................................... 36A-1a Procedural framework for further work ............................................................................... 36A-1b Environmental prioritization of crops .................................................................................. 36A-2 Synopsis of certification systems ........................................................................................... 40A-3 Synopsis of environmental standards for biomass ................................................................. 44A-4 Synopsis of social standards for biomass ............................................................................... 63A-5 Biomass criteria for certification of green electricity ............................................................ 72A-6 List of URLs for relevant sources of criteria and standards .................................................. 76

List of Acronyms ................................................................................................................................. 78

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This report begins in Section 1 with an introduction to key bioenergy issues, summarizing drivers, global potential, the key issues of sustainable biomass and standards.

Section 2 gives a brief description of key potential problems and conflict areas arising from increased bioenergy supply, and derives core sustainability standards for each problem area. The standards were determined on the basis of a broad review of existing labeling and certification schemes for bio-based products and previous work carried out by the authors. A distinction is made between the use of biogenic residues/wastes and the dedicated cultivation of bioenergy crops. Our study focuses on the latter.

Section 3 discusses the legal background to implementing sustainability standards with special focus on international rules, EU legal settings and certain German laws. Legal instruments are also briefly described.

Approaches to implementing sustainability standards for biomass is