Energy efficiency not crop biofuels, say climate decision makers

Bali - First generation biofuels rank bottom of a list of technologies (see below) for reducing carbon emissions over the next 25 years, an international survey of 1,000 key climate change decision-makers has found. The study of senior government officials, scientists, and business and society leaders was conducted by GlobeScan for the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the World Bank and coincides with the intergovernmental Bali Climate Conference.

Over the next 10 years, the respondents from 105 countries expected half the reductions to come from energy demand management and efficiency improvements, 35% to come from lower-carbon energy sources, and 18% from carbon capture & storage. About 66% of their resources currently allocated to climate is directed at cutting emissions, and 34% to adapting to climate change. In five years they expect adaptation to increase, changing this ratio to 60-40.

When rating 18 specific technologies the respondents rated biofuels from food crops as offering least potential to reduce atmospheric carbon over the next 25 years without unacceptable side effects. Solar, wave and wind power options rated highest, while there was also good support for co-generation, biofuels from forest/field waste, new nuclear and, to a lesser extent, clean coal technologies.

The decision makers rated sustainable development and biodiversity as of highest importance for climate action over the next decade. Respondents also wanted climate actions to be taken within the framework of sustainable development (87% important). This encompassed ensuring the protection of biodiversity (78%), appropriate burden sharing (75%), energy security (75%), and setting an agreed maximum carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere (74%).

The findings are a mix of good and bad news for climate negotiations, said Julia Marton-Lefèvre, director general of the IUCN: "It is encouraging that sustainable development and biodiversity rate highest in importance for climate action, but this is not always reflected in the climate negotiations."

Technology / Potential for reducing carbon emissions (IUCN survey rating)

1. Solar hot water/passive solar: 74

2. Solar electric: 73

3. Offshore wind farm: 62

4. Land-based windfarm: 60

5. Co-generation: 51

6. Wave energy: 44

7. Second generation biofuels (from forest/field waste): 43

8. Low-head hydro: 41

9. Next generation nuclear technology: 40

10. Clean coal, new build: 36

11. Forest biomass: 35

12. Clean coal retrofit: 34

13. Hydrogen: 34

14 Current nuclear technology, new build: 29

15. Natural gas: 29

16. Human-powered vehicles: 28

17. Large-scale hydroelectric: 26

18. First generation biofuels from agricultural crops: 21