Unforeseen effects of biofuels, again…

Flemish minister Van Brempt reacted to continuing reports on the environmental impact of biofuels. She announced that the use of biofuels on Flemish busses will be stopped immediately. Here the climate effect was not the issue, but the sustainability of the biofuel production.

This is not the first time a broader view on sustainability halts new bio-energy projects. Recently two permits for new palmoil electricity plants in Antwerp have been refused. The reasons were again that the palm plantations and the oil production were not sustainable.

This positive evolution ensures that biofuel projects in Belgium do not cause disasters somewhere else.

However, it seems like small disasters can happen closer to home with biofuel. Reports from the UK mention bacteria which love tanks in fuel stations. The large tanks contain deposits, dirt, water and now quantities of biofuel. This is more than enough for large cultures of bacteria to start forming. The solid parts of these cultures can clog car filters, tanks and can even cause breakdown and expensive repairs.

The UK authorities say the problem is mostly found in rural fuel outlets with only few customers. Regular cleaning of the tanks can solve this problem quite easily.

We did not hear any news on this kind of problem in Belgium, … yet.

Further information : http://www.mobielvlaanderen.be/persberichten/artikel.php?id=320

The cost and value of Biodiversity

A new study on the value of biodiversity is estimating the practical value of biodiversity and the cost of its destruction.

The first progress report on the economics of ecosystems and biodiversity was presented during the 9th UN Conference on Biological Diversity (COP9) in Bonn, Germany on 29 May 2008. This study was commissioned by the EU commission and the German Environmental Ministry (BMU). The study leader is Dr. Pavan Sukhdev, Head of the London”Global Market Centre” of the Deutsche Bank. The scientific contributions for the first progress report were coordinated by the German Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (UFZ).

The cost of reduced biodiversity has been evaluated at 3.1 trillion dollars a year or 6% of overall gross national product. Dr. Heidi Wittmer, a senior researcher at UFZ who helped compile the report, spoke of her hopes for the project:

“The Stern Review changed the way we look at the economic consequences of climate change. It is our hope that the TEEB Report will do the same for biodiversity. It is becoming clear that stopping the extinction of species is not merely a romantic notion, but is actually crucial for human survival.”

To be followed for sure.

More info can be found here, here or here.