This is one of the views written down in a comprehensive review of the emerging bio-energy market, called ‘Sustainable Energy: A Framework for Decision Makers’. The review was prepared by UN Energy, a group of energy specialists from across all UN agencies, programmes and organisations. The report was sponsored by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation FAO, which is already taking a leading role in bio-energy developments.

“The economic, environmental and social impacts of bio-energy development must be assessed carefully before deciding if and how rapidly to develop the industry and what technologies, policies and investment strategies to pursue,” the report warns. UN Energy Chair Mats Karlsson of the World Bank expects that the UN will be a prominent power in this case. “We hope to use the collective strength of the UN system to affect change.”

The report points out many benefits of bio-energy, like greenhouse gas emission reduction, access to energy, poverty alleviation and rural development. But it also reviews impacts in terms of food security, climate change, biodiversity and natural resources, employment and trade. “Unless new policies are enacted [..] the environmental and social damage could in some cases outweigh the benefits”, the UN Energy group states. As an example, UN Energy notes: “In general, crops that require high fossil energy inputs (such as conventional fertilizer) and valuable (farm) land, and that have relatively low energy yields per hectare, should be avoided.”

The report describes the role of bio-energy in a global context and provides a framework for policy makers who should consider nine key sustainability issues covering poverty and socio-economic elements, access to energy, health, trade and climate change. The report ends with some recommendations to discuss these issues on national and international levels.

Meanwhile, the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) today unveiled its web site, which was launched at the GBEP’s 3rd Steering Committee meeting, taking place in New York during the 15th session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development. The site provides information on the Partnership, which was created in May 2006 to promote the use of bio-energy and whose secretariat is hosted by FAO.