CEM Biofuture Platform Initiative
The Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) Biofuture Platform Initiative, aka the Biofuture Initiative, was launched at CEM11 to lead global actions to accelerate development, scale-up, and deployment of sustainable bio-based alternatives to fossil-based fuels, chemicals, and materials. The Initiative, which is chaired by the U.S. Department of Energy and coordinated by the IEA, provides a forum for policy dialogue and collaboration among leading countries, organizations, academia, and the private sector. Partners include key organizations such as the IEA Bioenergy Technology Collaboration Programme (TCP), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP). Furthermore, it works closely with other CEM/MI initiatives including those focusing on Innovation, Biorefineries, Hydrogen and Carbon Capture.
The Biofuture Initiative evolved from the Biofuture Platform, a 23-country effort established in 2016 under the leadership of Brazil to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon bioeconomy.
Strategic goals of the CEM Biofuture Platform Initiative are to
- Foster consensus on biomass sustainability, availability, and governance
- Promote policy best practices and convergence
- Enable supportive financing mechanisms
- Promote cooperation on policy, regulations, and technologies
The Expanded Bioeconomy
Bioenergy is the world’s largest source of renewable energy today. In most energy scenarios consistent with reduced GHG emissions, bioenergy plays a significantly expanded role. For instance, in the IEA Net Zero Emissions 2050 Roadmap modern bioenergy use rises three-fold by 2050, meeting almost 20% of total energy needs and becoming the second largest source of energy supply. It also plays critical roles in some hard to abate sectors like aviation to reach net zero. However, bioenergy should be considered only as a one component of a broader bioeconomy, where biobased feedstocks are used to produce high-value products that substitute for more carbon-intensive chemicals and materials, such as plastics, concrete, steel, and aluminum. In addition to reducing GHG emissions, an expanded bioeconomy provides opportunities to incentivize improved land management while helping nations achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Read the Bioenergy Essential Facts
