Nature Conservancy study says converting land for biofuels increases net carbon usage

February 7, 2008

A Nature Conservancy study has found that converting land to biofuel crop cultivation releases more carbon into the air than the carbon savings achieved by substitution of biofuels for fossil fuels. The study results will be published in Science magazine next month, and examines the conversion of forest, grasslands, and peatlands, and the release of carbon stored in those areas when the lands are cleared for cultivation.

The study is not dissimilar to a study previously published in Science last year. The Guardian (UK) published an account of an article in Science magazine which concludes that switching from fossil fuels to biofuels will add more carbon to the atmosphere, destroy primary forests, and destroy economies.

The study cited in Science is based on the conversion of forest for biofuel feedstock cropland. The authors found that clearing one hectare of rainforest puts 200 cubic tons of carbon into the atmosphere and reduces the forest’s carbon absorption by 175 cubics tons of carbon per year, with a benefit of no more than 56 cubic tons of carbon by using the biofuels in place of fossil fuels.

Written by Jim Lane · Filed Under Research