Criteria for a Sustainable Use of Bioenergy on a Global Scale

When this research project was started in autumn 2006, the discussion on the sustainability of bioenergy – and particularly biofuels – was largely restricted to expert circles. The tenor of the discussion however had already developed in the direction of increasing skepticism. Biofuels have so far only become important in terms of volume in Brazil, in the USA (both bioethanol) and in Germany (biodiesel), although production and use is to be significantly expanded from now on for the fulfillment of climate policy objectives.