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A biofuel conundrum

As scientists raise alarming questions about the true carbon cost of some biofuels, policymakers must decide how best to promote low-emission versions, reports Sonja van Renssen.

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Figure 1: Bar chart showing the greenhouse-gas emissions from direct and indirect land-use change for different energy crops.

References

  1. Opinion of the EEA Scientific Committee on Greenhouse Gas Accounting in Relation to Bioenergy (European Environment Agency Scientific Committee, 15 September 2011); available via http://go.nature.com/exGbJX.

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Correspondence to Sonja van Renssen.

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van Renssen, S. A biofuel conundrum. Nature Clim Change 1, 389–390 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1265

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