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Biofuels and biodiversity

The programme of work on agricultural biodiversity and biofuels

In decision IX/1 , paragraph 31, the Conference of the Parties decided to integrate the issue of biofuel production and use into the programme of work on agricultural biodiversity, in particular by addressing biofuel production, especially when based on feedstocks produced through agriculture, inter alia to: (a) Identify and promote the dissemination of information on cost-effective practices and technologies, and related policy and incentive measures that enhance the positive and mitigate the negative impacts of agriculture on biological diversity, productivity and capacity to sustain livelihoods (activity 2 of programme element 2 of decision V/5 ); (b) Promote methods of sustainable agriculture that employ management practices, technologies and policies that promote the positive and mitigate the negative impacts of agriculture on biodiversity, with particular focus on the needs of farmers and indigenous and local communities (activity 3 of programme element 2 of decision V/5 ); and (c) Support institutional frameworks and policy and planning mechanisms for the mainstreaming of agricultural biodiversity in agricultural strategies and action plans, and its integration into wider strategies and plans for biological diversity (activity 1 of programme element 4 of decision V/5).

Sustainable production and use of biofuels

In decision IX/2 on agricultural biodiversity: biofuels and biodiversity the Conference of the Parties agreed that biofuel production and use should be sustainable in relation to biological diversity. The Conference of the Parties recognized the need to promote the positive and minimize the negative impacts of biofuel production and its use on biodiversity and the livelihoods of indigenous and local communities and agreed on activities for doing so including:

  • The development and application of sound policy frameworks for the sustainable production and use of biofuels;
  • Research and monitoring of the positive and negative impacts of the production and use of biofuels on biodiversity and related socio-economic aspects, including those related to indigenous and local communities;
  • Strengthened development cooperation with a view to promote the sustainable production and use of biofuels;
  • Encouraging the private sector to improve social and environmental performance of the production of biofuels.

In preparation for consideration of this item by SBSTTA-14 and COP-10, the Conference of the Parties encouraged Parties and other Governments, indigenous and local communities, and relevant stakeholders and organizations to share their experiences on the development and application of tools relevant to the sustainable production and use of biofuels, in relation to promoting the positive and minimizing the negative impacts on biodiversity, taking into account their full life-cycle as compared to other fuel types. The Conference of the Parties also called upon Parties, other Governments, the research community, and invited other relevant organizations to continue to investigate and monitor the positive and negative impacts of the production and use of biofuels on biodiversity and related socio-economic aspects, including those related to indigenous and local communities.

The Executive Secretary was requested to disseminate these experiences, to convene regional workshops on the sustainable production and use of biofuels, and to prepare on the basis of this information documentation on ways and means to promote the positive and minimize the negative impacts of the production and use of biofuels on biodiversity.

In decision IX/5 , paragraph 2(b), the Conference of the Parties also invited Parties, other Governments, and relevant international and other organizations to address both, direct and indirect, positive and negative impacts that the production and use of biomass for energy, in particular large-scale and/or industrial production and use, might have on forest biodiversity and on indigenous and local communities, also taking into account the components of the decision IX/2 on biofuels and biodiversity relevant to forest biodiversity, reflecting varying conditions of countries and regions.