Bioenergy and the importance of land use policy in a carbon- constrained world

摘要: Policies aimed at limiting anthropogenic climate change would result in significant transformations of the energy and land-use systems. However, increasing demand for bioenergy could have a tremendous impact on land use, can clearing deforestation. Wise et al. (2009a,b) analyzed an idealized policy to limit indirect use emissions from bioenergy. The policy, while effective, be difficult, if not impossible, implement real world. In this paper, we consider several different policies that deviate first-best, using Joint Global Change Research Institute’s Assessment Model (GCAM). Specifically, these new frameworks are (1) focuses just above-ground or vegetative terrestrial carbon rather than total carbon, (2) focus exclusively incentivizing protecting forestland, (3) apply economic penalty biomass as proxy emissions. For each examine its emissions, atmospheric CO2 concentrations, agricultural supply, food prices.