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Biomass demand could fuel global land rush, warns report

According to a new report from the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), fast-moving plans for biomass energy could have a negative impact on some of the world’s poorest countries.

The paper projects that demand for woodfuel in the UK is likely to exceed domestic supplies by up to 600% in the coming years. The UK, like Sweden and the Netherlands, currently imports 40 million tonnes of wood each year, a figure which is expected to rise to 50 million tonnes.

According to the IIED, the subsequent increase of plantations in developing countries may have a negative effect on land access and food security in those areas.

“All eyes are turned to food and biofuels, but tree plantations for biomass energy may soon become an important driver in the global land rush,” says Dr Lorenzo Cotula, a co-author of the paper.

For further information:
pubs.iied.org/17098IIED.html
www.iied.org

31 August 2011

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