Sugarcane ethanol is the best currently available alternative for the transportation sector to reduce emissions of gases that cause global warming, according to the President of the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA), Marcos Jank. He made his case on Wednesday (Dec.16) at the "Global Potential of Biofuels” seminar, organized in Copenhagen by the Climate Consortium Denmark as part of the 15th United Nations Climate Conference (COP-15).

"The tangible and viable short-term option to reduce emissions is ethanol, a technology that Brazil has and that developing countries should observe," said Jank. His arguments were complemented by Steen Riisgaard, President and CEO of Novozymes, one of the largest biotech companies in the world: “Biofuels are the best large scale applicable option,” he said.

For McKinsey & Company’s head of climate change, Jens Riese, who moderated the debate, the transportation sector has three alternatives to decarbonize: improved fuel efficiency; Electrification, which will not be able to generate significant emission cuts in coming years; And biofuels, an available and quickly applicable alternative.
Indirect Land Use

During the debate, panelists were questioned about the relationship between Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) and alleged impacts because of biofuels production. Marcos Jank argued that any attempt to quantify these effects must be based on science, and that the sugar and ethanol sector will take the data into account when existing models are based on reliable numbers.

Also at the debate, the founder and CEO of POET - the largest ethanol producer in the United States, Jeff Broin, highlighted the fact that agriculture and biofuel production underwent several changes and improvements in recent years. He argued there is no reason why production models should not be replicated throughout the world.

For his part, Luciano Pizzato, a Brazilian Congressman from the sugarcane producing state of Parana, detailed the social and environmental benefits generated by the cane industry. He also stressed that the industry has expanded with gains in productivity and without deforestation.

UNICA’s presence at COP-15 was made possible through the Apex-Brasil/UNICA project, a partnership launched in January of 2008 between the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association and the Brazilian Export Promotion Agency, within the federal Development, Industry and International Trade Ministry. The main objective of the partnership is to promote Brazilian sugarcane ethanol throughout the world as a clean, renewable energy source.

At COP-15, UNICA also took part in the Brazilian Pavilion (Hall C7, Bella Center). A detailed agenda of UNICA´s involvement at COP-15 is available on the organization’s website – for more information, click here.