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Resolution of the North American GSB Convention

Access to energy services is critical to the quality of human life. Our existing energy portfolio is both unsustainable and threatened in many ways. Large scale bioenergy, along with other renewable energy sources, is imperative to support a sustainable future in North America. Our diverse and abundant resources are more than adequate, but they require more holistic management and innovative technologies. With immediate and ongoing action, it is reasonable for North America to set a goal of producing 25% of our energy services from these bioenergy resources by 2050, and even greater contributions in the future. To meet these goals, strategies must be put in place now so that we can begin accruing the necessary benefits at once and prepare effectively for the future. North America's diversity in geography, resource distribution, cultural history and political structures enables all regions to contribute to a sustainable energy future. Sustainability, comprised of social, economic and environmental sustainability, means managing and using resources to meet current and future needs without compromising the ability of future landscapes to support all three aspects. Sustainable bioenergy development, abiding by these principles, can contribute to the longevity and resilience of natural resources, and the productivity of future generations in North America and globally.

Almost all energy in North America is currently generated from finite fossil resources. To move to a more sustainable future, use of non-renewable resources must be strategic and limited to activities without other options. Fortunately, energy may be generated by a suite of alternatives, including conversion of biomass, and drivers in both Canada and the US have increasingly advanced the development of bioenergy, primarily for transportation fuels, but on a smaller scale for heat and power. Bioenergy has the potential to provide low carbon energy in sustainable agricultural and forest landscapes, along with social and economic benefits; the magnitude of the opportunity is substantial. The continent enjoys abundant forest and agricultural resources, ample access to corollary resources such as water, fertilizer feedstocks and mineral resources, as well as a highly educated and skilled work force, and good trade relationships between Canada and the US. A mature research base and infrastructure will facilitate the necessary innovation. The continent is generally well positioned for large scale bioenergy production, but even smaller scale bioenergy use could enhance energy security and environmental integrity.

Developing and deploying large scale sustainable bioenergy as part of a viable renewable energy mix requires addressing challenges in four key areas: resources, policy, technology, and implementation.

Resources. The continent is vast, with a huge variability in the distribution of resources. Integration of regionally appropriate strategies must be used to support the continental goal.

Policy. The policy matrix is complex, involving various levels of authority across multiple disciplines. Ultimately, federal policies should incentivize the desired outcomes, while supporting and facilitating regional strategies. Increasing collaboration among the policy, science, and industrial communities will promote creation of evidence-based policy and regulation that support effective new structures and technologies. Current policies understandably favor the status quo, but must be reoriented to support emerging sustainable bioenergy systems as well as traditional sectors. Similarly, traditionally segregated sectors must be increasingly integrated in order to address future challenges using shared physical and human resources.

Technology. Enabling truly sustainable large-scale bioenergy requires major technological innovations supported by research institutions, government, industry and other stakeholders.

Implementation Strategy. Sustainability is both a process and a goal, and is responsive to the unique characteristics of individual regions and circumstances. Currently, assessments of the sustainability and the desirability of bioenergy are widely divergent. Research and communication can bridge this gap and pave the way for sustainable implementation of bioenergy on a large scale.

North America has benefited greatly from its endowment of fossil energy resources. We have both the capacity and the obligation to participate vigorously in the global transition toward a prosperous and sustainable future involving large scale bioenergy.

Last Updated August 14, 2012