Biofuels on their own cannot deliver a sustainable transport system and must be developed as part of an integrated package of measures – but the environmental, economic and social impact of such developments must also be taken into account. These are the conclusions of a report by the Royal Society, which convened a working group of leading experts to consider the science and
technology prospects of delivering efficient biofuels for transport in the broader context of the environmental protection and sustainability.
The working group concluded that biofuels have a potentially useful role in tackling the issues of climate change and energy supply, however important opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels, and to ensure wider environmental and social benefits may be missed with existing policy frameworks and targets.
Unless biofuel development is supported by appropriate policies and economic instruments then there is a risk that we may become locked into inefficient biofuel supply chains that potentially create harmful environmental and social impact, said the report.
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