Expanding biofuel production could require an area the size of Germany
Global biofuel production is expected to rise by around 70% between 2025 and 2030.
Expanding biofuel production to alleviate oil imports driven by the Middle East conflict could necessitate converting an area of land equivalent to Germany, according to a Chatham House analysis. With fuel costs surging, nations such as Brazil, India, Indonesia, and the United States are adopting policies to increase biofuel mandates in petroleum products. Worldwide biofuel output is projected to surge by roughly 70% from 2025 to 2030.
French President Emmanuel Macron has recently urged the European Commission to permit higher biofuel inclusion in diesel to aid in price stabilization. However, Chatham House warns that unchecked demand growth could result in additional deforestation and escalate the costs of crucial crops like corn and vegetable oil, thereby exacerbating food insecurity. The report emphasizes that the long-term land pressures resulting from this surge would be extremely challenging, if not impossible, to reverse once they materialize.
Consequently, the authors of the report argue that policymakers should view biofuels as a targeted interim solution to mitigate the current oil emergency, rather than as a permanent panacea for energy security concerns.
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