Background: the next 30 years could see a significant shift from fossil fuels towards a bioenergy-based economy, with agriculture and forestry as principal sources of energy feedstocks. The availability of more bioenergy-based fuels, in particular ethanol and biodiesel, can serve a dual role: providing energy to meet basic requirements for well-being and development; and ensuring environmental benefits such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Considering that four out of five people in rural areas live without sustained access to energy, a bioenergy transition is potentially very significant for the agriculture and forestry sectors in terms of the opportunities it offers to stimulate economic growth in rural areas of developing countries. However, in some cases, it can contribute to food insecurity and generate negative environmental impacts because of increased competition for land, crops and raw materials. Therefore, in those countries where bioenergy potentials are high, the opportunities can only be exploited if the necessary social and environmental safeguards are applied.

FAO has been involved with bioenergy since the UN Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy ( Nairobi , 1981) and this aspect was reflected in the World Food Summit and its follow up. In 2002, the Organization initiated a series of actions aimed at raising its engagement and awareness of Members about bioenergy. Sessions of COAG, COFO, CFS, Council and Conference have endorsed the importance of the subject and called for an expanded programme.

The overall objective is to promote the development of equitable and accessible bioenergy for national stakeholders taking into account food security, poverty reduction, gender equality, environmental sustainability and climate change mitigation. The International Bioenergy Platform was developed under the leadership of FAO and launched in 2006 as the foundation for work on this topic. FAO will promote sustainable bioenergy development in its global and field work and promote this topic in the international development agenda. The following issues will need to be taken into consideration:

• Bioenergy production and utilisation systems, wisely implemented, can help alleviate hunger and stimulate rural development by helping to diversify agricultural activities.
• The use of biomass for energy, especially when food stocks and forest products are used or supplanted by alternative crops, has implications for food security that need to be well understood and reflected in national bioenergy policy and practices.
• The environmental implications of bioenergy development, particularly for land use change and the sustainable management of natural resources, needs to be monitored carefully to ensure positive results.
• Sustainable bioenergy can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to climate change mitigation as well as to support climate change adaptation through diversified agricultural production systems.
• A range of nations are already embarking on bioenergy activities and global trade is increasing even though there are significant gaps in knowledge, technology, capacity and capability.
• There is a rapidly growing demand of country requests for assistance. This includes the assessment and sustainable development of national bioenergy potentials, review of legislative frameworks and policy options, and advice on food security and natural resources management issues.

Objectives and plans for 2008-09: during 2008-09, the International Bioenergy Platform will facilitate FAO's engagement with partners to assist countries in assessing and developing capacities for sustainable bioenergy. The Interdepartmental Working Group on Bioenergy and the Division of Environment, Climate change and Bioenergy will tap multidisciplinary expertise to achieve the following results under 2KP06 and related programme entities:

• An effective corporate framework on bioenergy to guide programme implementation. This will be accompanied by a mobilising mechanism to ensure that regular programme and extrabudgetary resources are used in a coordinated manner to undertake global, regional and national activities that support sustainable bioenergy development.
• Active leadership through collaborative mechanisms such as: the Global Bioenergy Partnership, for which FAO hosts the Secretariat; and UN-Energy, for which FAO is the vice-chair. Such partnerships will help to ensure that food security, sustainable natural resources management and rural development opportunities are well reflected in all fora relevant to FAO's mandate. Ongoing collaboration with technical centres of excellence will also be expanded.
• An international bioenergy information system to facilitate bioenergy assessment and analysis at national, regional and global levels and serve as a reference point for reliable data on bioenergy with respect to food security and environmental sustainability.
• Making bioenergy information more accessible, strengthening human resources capacity and managing FAO's responses to country requests and national needs primarily through the decentralized offices. This will be supported by the promotion of regional and national bioenergy task forces to develop strategies tailored to specific needs.
• Completion of case studies using the agro-ecological zones framework as a point of departure to understand policy and technical issues related to bioenergy development in selected countries. Some of these countries will also serve as reference cases for lessons learned.
• Practical tools and guidelines on bioenergy best practices including assessment, planning and development with a focus on food security, environment and rural development, taking into account gender-sensitive bioenergy services for local communities and vulnerable populations.
• Capacity building and training for regional, national and local stakeholders helping to mobilise and manage sustainable bioenergy systems.

[extract from PWB 2008-09]