Around the world, many countries are increasing efforts to promote biomass production for industrial uses including biofuels and bio-products such as chemicals and bio-plastic. Against a backdrop of lively public debate on sustainability, bioenergy wields both positive and negative impacts upon a variety of environmental and socio-economic issues. These include property rights, labor conditions, social welfare, economic wealth, poverty reduction and more. This book discusses the issues and impacts of bioenergy, taking into account the local and regional framework under which bioenergy is produced, touching upon educational level, cultural aspects, the history and economies of the producing countries and an array of policies including environmental and social targets.

The book surveys and analyzes global bioenergy production from a number of perspectives. The authors illustrate the complexity of interrelated topics in the bioenergy value chain, ranging from agriculture to conversion processes, as well as from social implications to environmental effects. It goes on to offer insight on future challenges associated with the expected boom of a global bio-based economy, which contributes to the paradigm shift from a fossil-based to a biomass and renewable energy-based economy.

The expert contributors include researchers, investors, policy makers, representatives from NGOs and other stakeholders, from Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America. Their contributions build upon the results of the Global-Bio-Pact project on "Global Assessment of Biomass and Bio-product Impacts on Socio-economics and Sustainability," which was supported by the European Commission in its 7th Framework Program for Research and Technological Development, conducted from February 2010 to January 2013.

The book benefits policy makers, scientists and NGO staffers working in the fields of agriculture, forestry, biotechnology and energy.

Contenu
Preface.- 1. Socio-economic impact assessment tools.- 2. Indicators for socio-economic sustainability assessment.- 3. Test auditing of socio-economic indicators for biofuel production.- 4. Linkages between socio-economic and environmental impacts of bioenergy.- 5. Socio-economic impacts of biofuels on land use change.- 6. The effects of bioenergy production on food security.- 7. Socio-economic impacts of sweet sorghum in temperate and tropical regions.- 8. The use of soybean by-products as a biofuel: the Argentine case.- 9. Socio-economic impacts of palm oil and biodiesel: the case of Indonesia.- 10. Socio-economic experiences of different jatropha business models in Africa.- 11. Socio-economic impacts of jatropha oil and biodiesel in Mali.- 12. Socio-economic impacts of bioethanol from sugar cane in Brazil.- 13. Socio-economic effects of the sugar cane-to-ethanol production chain in Costa Rica.- 14. Socio-economic impacts of a lignocellulosic ethanol refinery in Canada.- 15. Biogas from organic waste in African cities.- 16. Analysis of socio-economic indicators on different bioenergy case studies.- 17. Summary: The contribution of bioenergy to energy access and energy security.- Index.