Chapter 2 - Biofuel transitions: An overview of regulations and standards for a more sustainable framework

Abstract

Climate change, environmental degradation, air pollution, and the expected world population growth make the transition out of a fossil-based economy into one based on biomasses of outmost importance and urgency. This transition involves both the energy sector and goods production sector and should combine new production models with new consumption models oriented toward reduction, reuse, and sharing practices. For this transition to happen, efforts are needed from all involved players: researchers and industries which have to develop new production models, consumers which have to adopt new consumption practices, and policy-makers which have to develop a favorable regulatory and legislative environment for such changes to occur. In this chapter we look closely at this latter element of the transition, specifically assessing the impact that standards and regulation played on the biofuel sector. We identify pros and cons associated with such intervention, drawing lessons applicable broadly to the bioeconomy transition.