Do sustainability and climate change concerns signal the end of the road or a new beginning? - Ernst & Young - Global

Biofuels’ promise of diversifying fuel sources, putting a cleaner-burning fuel into the world’s gas tanks and creating a growth industry for many agricultural producers remain. However, governments and investors around the world are now questioning biofuels, mandates, subsidies and investments. Right now, as first-generation biofuels lose their luster and second-generation fuels have not yet reached economic viability, perhaps the most pressing priority is the creation of standards by which the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and true sustainability of biofuels production can be measured.

Today there are many factors influencing the worldwide biofuels industry, including long-term environmental concerns, fuel supplies and price stability. Our report “Biofuels” presents some key highlights:

• Criticism is mounting that GHG emissions levels of widely used biofuels are often higher than those of fossil fuels when their entire lifecycle is taken into account – growing, manufacturing, shipping, and burning.
• Countries and investors worldwide are recognizing an urgent need to develop a second generation of biofuels whose production doesn’t compete with food production and whose lifecycle GHG emissions is less than that of fossil fuels.

Find out how the following markets are contending with their specific challenges, risks and set of priorities:

• United States
• Brazil
• Europe, with a particular focus on the UK
• Canada

To gain critical insights into the emerging trends facing this industry, download your copy of "Biofuels: Do sustainability and climate change concerns signal the end of the road or a new beginning?" (pdf, 1 mb)