Sustainability Issues in Biomass Feedstock Production: A Policy Perspective - Engineering and Science of Biomass Feedstock Production and Provision - page 246

Another step toward public international harmonization of sustainability
standards has been the success achieved by the United Nation's collaborative pro-
gram for the Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+).
For example, REDD+ may provide one “way out” of calculating ILUC—arguably
the controversial aspect of biofuels' carbon accounting. That is, if REDD+ is suc-
cessful in directly curtailing deforestation, then either ILUC would not have to be
calculated at all or future emissions in ILUC models could be adjusted based on a
predicted effect of REDD+ programs on deforestation. The UN REDD+ Programme
has issued a guiding framework of environmental and social principles [ 114 ], but it
remains to be seen whether REDD generally will receive enough support from the
developing world to be effective.
Lastly, in anticipation of European requirements that the US aviation sector par-
ticipate in its Emissions Trading System (ETS), the aviation sector has formed
groups to discuss sustainability metrics for biomass-based aviation fuels such as the
Sustainable Aviation Fuels Users Group [ 115 ] and the Midwestern Aviation
Sustainable Biofuels Initiative (MASBI) [ 116 ]. The discussions mirror those that
have occurred with private sustainability standards groups, with the exception that
aviation is focusing on feedstocks that can be made into aviation fuels. The EU
announced in November 2012 that it was suspending the requirement for 1 year,
while the UN International Civil Aviation Organization attempts to develop a
“global market-based measure” and a “policy framework to guide general applica-
tion” of the measures to the aviation sector [ 117 ].

9.4 Food Security: The Biggest Policy Challenge Ahead

for Biomass-Based Energy

The nascent biomass-to-bioenergy sector faces formidable challenges to its success-
ful adoption as part of a balanced energy portfolio. Arguably, the greatest obstacle
to second-generation transportation fuels is technology development to overcome
cellulosic materials' recalcitrance to the degradation required to make ethanol
[ 118 ]. EPA is trying to force accelerated technology development by refusing to
waive RFS mandates despite claims that the program is causing food price infl ation
[ 119 ]. Despite these efforts, one of the potentially largest market players recently
announced it would withdraw for the most part from developing cellulosic fuels in
the United States [ 120 ].
Arguably the second greatest challenge for cellulosic biofuels, whether blended
as ethanol or “dropped in” [ 121 ] as diesel, undeniably is how the sector will answer
accusations that its indirect effects stemming from land-use changes for bioenergy
crops create food insecurity and copious GHG emissions. One solution put forth in
policy discussions has been movement of bioenergy cropping to marginal, idle,
degraded, and abandoned (MIDA) lands. Because bioenergy statutes have fallen
short of providing concrete defi nitions, the RSB has attempted to fi ll in gaps by
developing (but not fi nalizing) an “indirect impacts” module in anticipation of EU
measures to combat food insecurity and ILUC-induced GHG emissions [ 122 ].