The conference on bioenergy and development brings together leading thinkers and practitioners from countries and organizations that have made advancements in innovative and sustainable bioenergy production models. The conference is co-organized by the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) and the World Agroforestry Centre, and will take place in Berlin.

Bioenergy is a fast-growing sector, but experiences have been mixed and there are conflicting messages about the potential for different sources of bioenergy to contribute to low carbon energy budgets and socio-economic development objectives. Themed ‘the investment case for sustainable production systems’ the conference will identify ways that bioenergy can be used to provide equitable access to energy while contributing to livelihoods, income and growth without compromising food production, ecosystem services and productive land-use. It also seeks to clarify the role that bioenergy can play in meeting growing energy needs, as well as share lessons on policy and investments to identify promising pathways for buying into sustainable bioenergy. Ultimately, this contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals and global efforts to combat climate change.

For more information and for registration please go to the conference website

Palm oil plantation in Indonesia cc. CIFOR

Structure
The conference agenda will take place over one and a half days and is organized around a technical and high level panel session. The technical session which will take place on the first day will involve technical and scientific discussions on matters related to advances in and constraints to developing sustainable bioenergy systems and models.

Conclusions from the technical session will be summarized in a ”Friends of the Chair” statement which will be submitted to the high level panel on the second day during which senior representatives of participating governments will share views and experiences from their countries on development and delivery of capacity for sustainable bioenergy in their countries.

Conference secretariat:
Co-chairs: Ravi Prabhu (ICRAF), Alexander Müller (IASS)
Scientific committee: Navin Sharma, Henry Neufeldt (ICRAF), Jes Weigelt (IASS)
High-Level Panel co-organizers: Ravi Prabhu, Phil Dobie (ICRAF) and Alexander Müller
Friends of the Chair – responsible for meeting outcomes: Phil Dobie, Neely Constance, Ravi Prabhu, Alexander Mueller, Jes Weigelt.

Conference Moderator : Constance Neely (ICRAF)