Title:
Sustainability Constraints to Land Availability for Energy Cropping in Europe: A Review
Author(s):
Kluts, I.N., Wicke, B., Leemans, R., Faaij, A.
Document(s):
Paper
Abstract:
Food security, biodiversity protection and the prevention of high GHG emissions are important sustainability constraints to the land potentially available for energy crop cultivation. This paper reviews nine studies on the inclusion of sustainability constraints and intensification measures to estimate the land availability for energy cropping in Europe. The land potential estimated in the studies range from 7-26 Mha in 2020 and 7-39 Mha in 2030 for arable land, and 15-24 Mha in 2030 for pastureland. Sustainability constraints have been taken into account in the studies included in the review, although in varying degree and different approaches are used to estimate the land areas to exclude. The latter makes it challenging to determine the origin of variety in estimated land availability among the studies. In addition, not all assumptions are made explicit in the reports and papers of the studies. The results of this review are useful to better understand the key factors influencing the potential and impacts of bioenergy production in relation to agriculture intensification. This is needed to identify pathways for sustainable bioenergy production.
Keywords:
bioenergy, land use, sustainability, agricultural intensification
Topic:
Biomass Resources
Subtopic:
Biomass potentials and biomass mobilisation
Event:
23rd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
1AO.7.1
Pages:
24 - 27
ISBN:
978-88-89407-516
Paper DOI:
10.5071/23rdEUBCE2015-1AO.7.1
Price:
FREE
