OECD WORKSHOP ON BIOMASS AND AGRICULTURE, JUNE 2003 A framework for evaluating the environmental impact of biofuel use

With increasing emphasis on renewable energy, the role of biomass as an environmentally friendly energy source is becoming more important. Transport is a sector where other renewables will not play a major role in the foreseeable future, making the contribution of biomass and biofuels particularly significant. The issue of biofuel use in transport is one of the cross-sectoral themes that the EEA is planning to address during the coming years. This paper summarises recent EU policy developments regarding biofuels. It then sets out a framework for evaluating the environmental impact of current biofuel use, drawing on existing studies and assessment approaches developed at the EEA and linking with the existing OECD agri-environment indicator structure. This framework is intended to facilitate more integrated, holistic thinking on how best to assess the impact of increased biomass production and use. It aims to set out the parameters of an ex-ante evaluation of measures to expand biomass production and use. Recent policy developments present a range of options for increasing biofuel use in the EU, and it is hoped that the framework will help to develop appropriate approaches for local and regional circumstances. To test our conceptual approach, the framework is applied to two different types of biofuel production. Lastly, the paper draws conclusions from the case study exercise about the usefulness of the assessment framework in evaluating the environmental implications of future biofuel development.