UN releases biofuel water report
A report published by the UN's World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) has warned that the sharp increase in biofuel production has impact significantly on water demand.
According to the UN World Water Development Report 3 production of ethanol stood at 77 billion litres in 2008 and should reach 127 billion litres by 2017.
One of the major problems with biofuels is the need for large quantities of water and fertilisers to grow the crops. Between 1,000 and 4,000 litres of water are needed to produce a single litre of biofuel.
In 2007, 23% of maize production in the US and 54% of Brazil's sugarcane crop were used for ethanol production, and in 2008 47% of vegetable oils produced in the European Union were used to produce biodiesel.
In 2008, the ethanol share of the transport fuel market was estimated at 4.5% for the US, 40% for Brazil and 2.2% for the European Union.
The report says that, despite their potential to help reduce dependence on fossil energy, biofuels, with current technology, are likely to place a disproportionate amount of pressure on biodiversity and the environment.
Coordinated by the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), the report is the result of a co-operative effort by the 26 UN agencies and entities that make up UN-Water.
According to the UN World Water Development Report 3 production of ethanol stood at 77 billion litres in 2008 and should reach 127 billion litres by 2017.
One of the major problems with biofuels is the need for large quantities of water and fertilisers to grow the crops. Between 1,000 and 4,000 litres of water are needed to produce a single litre of biofuel.
In 2007, 23% of maize production in the US and 54% of Brazil's sugarcane crop were used for ethanol production, and in 2008 47% of vegetable oils produced in the European Union were used to produce biodiesel.
In 2008, the ethanol share of the transport fuel market was estimated at 4.5% for the US, 40% for Brazil and 2.2% for the European Union.
The report says that, despite their potential to help reduce dependence on fossil energy, biofuels, with current technology, are likely to place a disproportionate amount of pressure on biodiversity and the environment.
Coordinated by the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), the report is the result of a co-operative effort by the 26 UN agencies and entities that make up UN-Water.
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