Science Magazine publishes “Sustainable Biofuels Redux”: 23 scientists call for “science-based biofuels policy”; new land-use change impact research needed

In a roundtable published in the October 3rd issue Science magazine, “Sustainable Biofuels Redux”, 23 scientists from the US and Brazil concluded that “sustainable biofuel production systems could play a highly positive role in mitigating climate change, enhancing environmental quality, and strengthening the global economy, but it will take sound, science-based policy and additional research effort to make this so.” They called for “The identification of unintended consequences early in the development of alternative fuel strategies will help to avoid costly mistakes and regrets about the effects on the environment.”

Contributor Michelle Wander, a soil scientist with the University of Illinois added “”Whether or not the benefits of biofuels are realized will depend on which, where and how these crops are grown”. It is the first major statement on biofuels policy in Science magazine since the publication last January of the Searchinger study, which concluded that land-use changes imposed by biofuels created a net negative emissions and environmental impact.

Contributors to the article included academics and economists from Michigan State University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Purdue University, Brown University, Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Illinois, Colorado State University, USDA-ARS, University of California, Davis, Iowa State University, National Institute for Research in the Amazon (INPA), and the University of São Paulo. The group called for better understanding of the impact of land-use changes.

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