RenovaBio-Towards a New National Biofuel Policy and a Truly Sustainable World

Abstract

For some decades, Brazil has opted for a strategy of producing fuels from biomass, the so-called biofuels. With creativity and a good dose of innovation, the country was able to turn crises caused by oil shocks into big opportunities for investing in sugarcane ethanol as a stable and safe source of energy for its vehicles fleet. The second step was the commitment to biofuels through the implementation of the National Program for the Production and Use of Biodiesel (PNPB). The Biodiesel Program, coupled with the considerable expansion of the fleet of flex-fuel vehicles, consolidated Brazil as a reference in biofuels. Over the past few years, Brazil has been able to use biofuels in times of economic crises and booms to overcome difficulties and improve its vehicular energy matrix. That's because the country has a unique combination of factors such as arable land available for expansion of biofuel production (no cost of opportunity in relation to food production and no need for new areas resulting from deforestation), one of the highest productivity on the planet, research centers with tradition in the production and development of biofuels and an established consumer market with great potential for growth.However, we are still facing issues that are crucial for the future of this sector: What is the role of biofuels in the debate on the climate change scenario that we are facing at the global level today? Which contributions can biofuels offer in efforts to mitigate the emission of greenhouse gases, the recovery of the economy, the generation of new jobs and the socioeconomic development of the country?Twenty-five years ago, in Rio-92, we were already hosting the discussion of a socio-economic development agenda on a sustainable basis. Even before this milestone, the country was already playing a leading role in the production and consumption of biofuels. Undoubtedly, there is a clear global movement to reduce the use of fossil fuels. Not only because of greenhouse gases, which are proven to be harmful to the environment, but also due to other pollutants such as particulate matter, which are responsible for hundreds of thousands of annual deaths worldwide.More recently, following the signing of the Paris Agreement during COP21 and its subsequent ratification by Brazil, in an unprecedented commitment involving almost every country in the world (and despite the recent defection of the United States), clear goals were established for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the national territory: 37% less emissions in 2025 than in 2005. By 2030, the reduction target is set at 43%, also based on 2005.Nowadays, biomass is the second largest source in our energy mix, accounting for 28% our energy consumption. Even with such outstanding participation, it emits only 3% of total greenhouse gases of the mix! We, therefore, are in the perfect position to present innovative solutions in the generation of clean energy in the country and the chance to offer to the world a technology in which Brazil is one of the ultimate e...

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