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 Tamil Nadu Government has announced a State Advised Price of Rs 2,000 a tonne of sugarcane plus a transport cost of Rs 100 for the 2011-12 sugar season, according to an official press release. The Government will also take steps to enable the production of ethanol by distilleries attached …
A judge blocked one of California's signature attempts to lower greenhouse gas emissions, a victory for out-of-state ethanol producers and refiners that has California's air quality board vowing to appeal. U.S. District Judge Lawrence O'Neill in Fresno on Thursday issued a preliminary injunction against a regulation adopted by the California …
A federal tax credit for ethanol expired on Saturday, ending an era in which the federal government provided more than $20 billion in subsidies for use of the product. The tax break, created more than 30 years ago, had long seemed untouchable. But in the last year, during which Congress …
Marianne Fay, chief economist for the World Bank Sustainable Development Network, led a study on green growth, defined as growth that is efficient, clean, and resilient: ecient in its use of natural resources, clean in minimizing pollution and environmental impacts, and resilient in fully accounting for natural hazards. Here, Environment …
This new study of large land acquisitions in developing countries by International Land Coalition says that while large land deals can create opportunities, they are more likely to cause problems for the poor, who often lose access to land essential to their livelihoods. This report synthesises the findings of the …
Policy interest in biofuels in India has grown dramatically during the last few years, with substantial government planting targets for Jatropha curcas in particular. This working paper discusses the sustainable livelihoods aspects of alternative Jatropha cultivation systems identified during fieldwork in three Indian states in 2009, based on site visits …
There is a growing consensus that universalisation of modern energy services is central to reducing major elements of poverty and hunger, increasing literacy and education, and improving health care, employment opportunities, and lives of women and children. In India, more than 700 million people lack access to modern energy services …
European banks, pension funds and insurance companies are increasing global hunger and poverty by speculating on food prices and financing land grabs in poorer countries, according to Farming Money, a new report released. Farming Money: How European banks and private finance profit from food speculation and land grabs analyses the …
This working paper shows that large-scale renewable energy electricity and biofuels for transport industries involve a large variety of jobs, which differ in skill levels required, and may also differ according to the supply chain of technologies. Although data information is incomplete, 2010 estimates placed gross employment at over 3.5 …
The BP Energy Outlook 2030 sees overall energy demand growing some 40% over next two decades, with virtually all growth coming from developing countries & more than half will come from China and India. The BP Energy Outlook 2030 contains projections of long-term energy trends. This outlook contributes to the …
London: If discarded wrapping paper and Christmas cards in the UK were collected and fermented, they could make enough biofuel to run a double-decker bus to run more than 20 trips to moon. This has been stated by a study at Imperial College London demonstrates that industrial quantities of waste …
It will place orders for two vehicles before year-end with Ashok Leyland If all goes well, Bangaloreans will soon be travelling in ‘diesel hybrid’ vehicles. The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is planning to introduce ‘diesel hybrid’ vehicles for public transport on a pilot basis in the City by mid-2012. …
One approach to reducing the costs of advanced biofuel production from cellulosic biomass is to engineer a single microorganism to both digest plant biomass and produce hydrocarbons that have the properties of petrochemical fuels. Such an organism would require pathways for hydrocarbon production and the capacity to secrete sufficient enzymes …
Carbon dioxide emissions from energy sources will rise until 2030, when they will level off as fuels such as natural gas replace dirtier supplies of coal, Exxon Mobil said on Thursday. That forecast, part of Exxon's annual global outlook that stretches out to 2040, calls for total energy demand to …
The greenhouse gas emissions of biofuels have been under discussion for years. Now studies commissioned by the European Union are putting pressure on biodiesel in particular.
OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2011 is part of the Organization’s commitment to market stability and a means to highlight and further understand many of the possible future challenges and opportunities that lie ahead of the oil industry. This year’s WOO highlights that OPEC’s role will be even more important in …
In the year 2008, the Government of India announced its National Policy on biofuels, mandating a phase-wise implementation of the programme of ethanol blending with petrol in various states. This study examines demand and supply aspects of the ethanol blending policy (EBP) of the Government of India. In the last …
The study examines the "Ethanol Blending Programme" in India. The study examines the ethanol blended petroleum pricing mechanism in India in comparison with the globally accepted price mechanism. The study finds that the cost of producing ethanol in India varies largely with molasses prices and hence cyclical variations in sugarcane …
Carbon offsetting projects are one of the economic tools available to reduce agricultural emissions by paying for metric tons of avoided CO2e emissions. A summary of the emission reductions enabled by agricultural projects to date is provided in this report. It covers most projects certified by quality assurance standards, including …
This paper for the Bonn 2011 Conference presents initial evidence for how a nexus approach can enhance water, energy and food security by increasing efficiency, reducing trade-offs, building synergies and improving governance across sectors. It also underpins policy recommendations, which are detailed in a separate paper.
