Yesterday UN-Energy released a report titled, Sustainable energy: A framework for decision-makers. While speaking at a press conference, senior UN Energy officials warned the media about bio-fuels eating up precious agriculture and forest land.
The report warns, " At their best, liquid bio-fuel products could enrich farmers by helping to add value to their products. At their worst, however, bio-fuel programmes could result in concentration of ownership that could drive the world’s poorest farmers off their land and into deeper poverty".
On the positive side, bio-fuels can meet the energy requirements of a large segment of the earth’s population. Alexander Muller, Assistant Director-General for the Sustainable Development Department of FAO says that modern bio-energy can serve as a useful energy source to 1.6 billion people who have no access to electric power.
However, making bio-energy a profitable and sustainable source of power is challenging. The report outlines a framework for countries and policy makers to follow and warns that there are no rigid rules that can be applied. Each country will have to work out it’s own policy.
Source: http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2007/070508_Energy.doc.htm
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