Resolution of the Asia-Oceania GSB Convention

The Asia-Oceania region has diverse climatic, geographical, biological, cultural traditions and politico-economic attributes. The member nations have significant agricultural and urban economies with rapidly growing energy-based requirements in transport and industries. Biomass energy has the potential to address these needs in a significant and sustainable fashion.

The region being rich in natural and biology based resources has potential to capitalize from the diversity of the feedstocks for sustainable bioenergy. This can have multi-dimensional positive influences on the economic and social status of the member nations. Some of the national governments have been proactive and have bioenergy related ministries that have policies that promote sustainable development of bioenergy. Energy security, job creation, and climate change due to increasing carbon emissions are the prime drivers for the development of sustainable bioenergy industries.

Access to affordable clean energy is a basic right.

Integration of the bioenergy sector with the existing agriculture sectors should promote rural prosperity through job creation and skilled labour leading to poverty alleviation and mitigation of rural depopulation. Development of the region's bioenergy industries will build capacity by conservation of biological diversity, retention of traditional knowledge, and sharing of wealth by the local and indigenous stakeholders.

The knowhow to improve the earth and its yield is available but not globally shared. The sharing of technology and developing new and innovative knowhow for bio-based products beyond bioenergy must be initiated to accommodate different needs and challenges.

Available Potential Resources

Asia and Oceania is rich in land and water, biological, human and technological resources. The region possesses large variation in the land mass ranging from fertile to non-arable lands; there is also wide variation in the availability and suitability of energy crops. Water efficient energy crop plantations should be encouraged for drought prone and saline areas to maximize land use. Tremendous diversity of the crop species along with varying agricultural and land management practices present diverse biomass production possibilities. The region has variation in population density, but has overall high density and available workforce in rural areas. Importantly, the region has high education standards and capabilities, including in rural areas, and demonstrated capacity to develop, adapt and implement novel technologies that will aid in rapid advancement of the bioenergy sector.

Actions

Several important actions are needed to realize the vision of a sustainable bioenergy future for Asia-Oceania. These include:

The diversity of the region requires development of biomass inventories and assessments adapted to both national and regional scales.
Plans for biomass production must protect and enhance biological diversity and ecosystem services through appropriate agroecological zoning, certification, and other mechanisms.
Biomass production and conversion technologies must be developed and adapted to the varied circumstances of the region. These technologies must be assessed carefully for realistic commercial success. New mechanisms must be developed that promote research and development through both inter- and intra- continental collaborations
Knowledge development and public awareness are key to successful implementation, and must build on both traditional knowledge and advanced academic programs for all levels of society. Commercial implementation will require innovative ways to create knowledge, including intellectual property portfolio building and sharing. Women have important roles to play in this process, ranging from traditional roles in agriculture and land management to advanced technology development and business leadership. Indigenous stakeholders should also be given due credit and share the benefits from their resource and knowledge contributions.
Harmonized policy frameworks are critical to encourage a bio-based economy through trade, regulation, overcoming non-trade barriers and climate negotiation. The development of bioenergy industries must also include infrastructure development to support new models of agricultural development, energy production and use. Strong and continuous support from both national governments and external agencies will be required to achieve the vision of a sustainable bioenergy future for Asia and Oceania.