This briefing paper reviews evidence of the impacts of the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) on food prices, with a focus on corn and soy, and presents new analysis on the impact of the RFS on U.S. livestock farmers. Studies examining the relationship between food prices and biofuel demand conclude …
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday extended for a third time the deadline for refiners to show compliance with 2013 federal biofuel use targets, a move quickly criticized by the oil industry. Annual compliance reports would be due 30 days after the pending publication of the final rule on …
This report presents an approach to quantify the power generation potentials for solar and wind energy resources in Africa, as well as an estimation of the bioenergy potential from selected first-generation biofuel crops. The analysis is based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data and has the aim to present a …
California and Mexico have signed a bilateral pact aimed at advancing cross-border investments in clean energy. Signed July 29 by California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) and Mexico's Secretary of Energy Pedro Joaquin Coldwell during the governor's trade visit to Mexico City, the agreement calls for the two governments to work …
Future growth in UK aviation can be managed sustainably provided certain measures are put in place such as a global framework to help airlines achieve emissions targets, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has argued. In a report released this week, the CBI sets out its case to increase the …
Policy and investment in the UK's low-carbon truck and biofuels sector has stalled in meeting air quality emissions targets and CO2 reductions. That's according to a new report from the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP), which found that the direction and complexity of fuel infrastructure investments have provided an 'unstable …
An association of Japanese airlines and other entities announced an initiative on Wednesday aimed at enabling the use of biofuels to power passenger jets by 2020, in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions. Launched in May by 33 companies and organizations to develop and use second-generation aviation fuel, the initiative …
This twentieth edition of the Agricultural Outlook published jointly by OECD and FAO provides market projections to 2023 for major agricultural commodities, biofuels and fish across 41 countries and 12 regions: OECD member countries (European Union as a region), key non-OECD agricultural producers (such as India, China, Brazil, Russian Federation …
This interim 2014 report by the Deep Decarbonization Pathway Project (DDPP) summarizes preliminary findings of the pathways developed by the DDPP Country Research Teams with the objective of achieving emission reductions consistent with limiting global warming to less than 2°C. The DDPP is a knowledge network comprising 15 Country Research …
Between 2000 and 2010, a total of 500 million acres of land in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean was acquired or negotiated under deals brokered on behalf of foreign governments or transnational corporations. Many such deals are geared toward growing crops or biofuels for export to richer, developed …
The report examines the rise of “land grabs” in Asia and how this impacts on poor and vulnerable people in the region. Recent years have seen significant increases in land deals across Asia and there is increasing pressure on land for investments in extractive resources, aquaculture, biofuels, infrastructure, real estate …
Modern bioenergy is a core ingredient of sustainable economic development as it plays an important role in poverty reduction and green growth. This makes bioenergy innovations critical, especially in developing countries where many households and rural communities rely on traditional bioenergy. Managing the multiple tradeoffs among bioenergy use, agricultural productivity, …
The increasing demand for agricultural products and the uncertainty of international food markets has recently drawn the attention of governments and agribusiness firms toward investments in productive agricultural land, mostly in the developing world. The targeted countries are typically located in regions that have remained only marginally utilized because of …
Britain is running out of land for food and faces a potential shortfall of two million hectares by 2030 according to new research. The report, from the University of Cambridge, says the growing population plus the use of land for energy crops are contributing to the gap. It criticises the …
A new report that assesses how Government can best achieve the UK's 2020 renewable transport target has been hailed as 'an important step forward' for the sustainable biofuels industry. The two-part report, released yesterday (18 June) by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP), sets out how the UK can hit …
PAKISTAN is considered one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. Global Climate Risk Index 2014 indicated that Pakistan is included in the list of top 3 countries which were affected most in 2012 due to climate change. In order to manage the issue of climate change, government of …
The government plans to plant 200 crore trees along the entire 1 lakh km National Highways network across the country to employ jobless youth. “The length of National Highways in the country is one lakh kilometre. I have asked officials to come out with a plan to plant 200 crore …
The days of "king corn" could be numbered as climate change brings higher temperatures and water shortages to America's farmland, a new report warned on Wednesday. Nearly one-third of US farmland is devoted to raising corn and the country produces about 40% of the world's corn crop. But the $1.7tn …
First released in 2005, REN21's Renewables Global Status Report (GSR) provides a comprehensive and timely overview of renewable energy market, industry, investment and policy developments worldwide. It enables policymakers, industry, investors and civil society to make informed decisions. The report covers recent developments, current status, and key trends; by design, …
Four environmental dimensions of energy security—climate change, air pollution, water availability and quality, and land-use change—and the environmental impact of 13 energy systems on each are discussed in this paper. Climate change threatens more land, people, and economies in Asia and small Pacific island states than any other part of …
In 2013, approximately 6.5 million people were already employed in the renewable energy industry worldwide, a new study by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) reveals. ‘Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2014’ underlines the important role that renewables continue to play in employment creation and growth in the …
