Advancing biofuel pathways with regional climate change implications (BIOPATH)

Research Project, 2019 – 2022

The transport sector is among the largest contributors to global emissions, and, without  substantial mitigation policies, transport emissions are predicted to increase faster than those from any other sector. Biofuels are one of the few options for decarbonization of the transport sector, and their deployment will imply a significant transition in our society, with unexplored potential synergies. For example, little information exists on the regional climate dimension of biofuel pathways and the connections with sustainable land management for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Regional implications are particularly important as they address the relevant scale for ecosystems and society, and the scale at which most decisions are made.

The primary objective of BIOPATH is to explore the interactions between future biofuel pathways, land transitions, and the regional climate, thereby offering novel science-based evidence to advance assessment frameworks of biofuel systems. BIOPATH will quantify the regional climate change effects of future biofuel pathways in Norway and Europe, assess the associated land transitions and value chain impacts, and improve our understanding of relevant land-atmosphere interactions. The ultimate goal is to facilitate the identification of win-win land management and biofuel strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation. The project will also assess the public perception of biofuels in Norway and the role of policies for the implementation of most promising strategies.