Development of a method for the assessment of species and biotope diversity in life cycle assessments using the example of biogenic fuels

Summary:

A cooperative project of the Leibniz University of Hannover, Institute for Environmental Planning, and the Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forests and Fisheries, Braunschweig

Project description:

In Germany, the Biofuel Quota Act came into force on January 1, 2007. According to this law, there is an obligation to blend an increasing proportion of biogenic fuels into gasoline and diesel fuel. The ecological assessment of biofuels is currently the subject of intense debate. In particular, there are increasing headlines on the negative consequences of monocultures, intensification of agriculture or rainforest clearing due to the cultivation for the required biomass. In January 2007, the EU published the Biofuels Progress Report. It emphasizes the need for certainty about the compatibility of the promotion of these fuels with environmental objectives, in particular biodiversity, soil, water and air quality concerns. As an established method for assessing the potential environmental impact of products, life cycle assessment is available in accordance with the international ISO 14040 ff. series of standards. It has been used to produce a large number of detailed analyses of renewable energy sources. However, it is questionable whether the life cycle assessment method is suitable for determining the required assessment of biofuels with regard to their impact on biodiversity. This question will be addressed by the DFG-funded project starting June 1, 2007.

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