An evaluation of the global potential of bioenergy production on degraded lands
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Abstract In this article the global potential of energy crop production on degraded lands was estimated using detailed, spatially explicit data about the area, type and extent of degradation derived from the Global Assessment of Land Degradation Dataset, and by combining this dataset with various spatially explicit data sets. Next, an estimate was made of the possible yield of perennial energy crops on the degraded areas as a function of the type and degree of degradation. Lightly degraded areas were not included, as these areas might be suitable for conventional food production. The total global potential energy production on degraded lands was assessed to be slightly above 150 and 190 EJ yr−1, for grassy and woody energy crops, respectively. Most of this potential, however, is on areas currently classified as forest, cropland or pastoral land, leaving a potential of around 25 and 32 EJ yr−1 on other land cover categories. Most of the potential energy crop production on degraded land is located in developing regions. China has a total potential of 30 EJ yr−1, of which 4 EJ yr−1 from areas classified as other land. Also USA, Brazil, West Africa, East Africa, Russia and India have substantial potentials of 12–18 EJ yr−1, with up to 30% of the potential from areas classified as other land.
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Most seminal efforts have focused on soil degradation, while more recent efforts have investigated the broader issue of land degradation from an ecosystem approach, which encompasses both soils and vegetation.
“Finally, while most seminal efforts have focused on soil degradation (Nijsen et al., 2012;Oldeman et al., 1990), more recent efforts have investigated the broader issue of land degradation from an ecosystem approach, which encompasses both soils and vegetation.”
From Mapping the world's degraded lands (2015) · cites this paper as Nijsen et al., 2012
The Global Assessment of Soil Degradation (GLASOD) was the first attempt to map human-induced degradation around the world and is still used today.
“The Global Assessment of Soil Degradation (GLASOD) commissioned by the United Nations Environment Program was the first attempt to map human-induced degradation around the world (Oldeman, 1994;Oldeman et al., 1990) and is still used today (e.g., Nijsen et al., 2012).”
From Mapping the world's degraded lands (2015) · cites this paper as Nijsen et al., 2012
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“…are much smaller than those obtained by previous studies (Cai et al., 2011; Emery et al., 2017; Milbrandt et al., 2014; Milbrandt & Overend, 2009; Nijsen et al., 2012; Zumkehr & Campbell, 2013), which consider all biophysically low-quality land marginal without considering economic marginality.”
Result
- Authors
- Nijsen, M., Smeets, E., Stehfest, E., & van Vuuren, D. P.
- Affiliations
- Utrecht University (NL)
- Wageningen University & Research (NL)
- Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (NL)
- Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9 3721 MA Bilthoven The Netherlands
- Corresponding author
- Stehfest, Elke
- Venue
- GCB Bioenergy
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2011-09-20
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 130-147
- ISSN
- 1757-1693 (ISSN-L)
- 1757-1707
- OpenAlex
- W2142414813
- Cited by
- 113
- References
- 63
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 19.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- GCB Bioenergy (publishedVersion)
- Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (acceptedVersion)
- Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion)
- Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Bioenergy crop production and management
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanics of Materials › Forest Biomass Utilization and Management
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Biofuel production and bioconversion
- Keywords
- bioenergy potential, degraded land, energy crops, land degradation, perennial crops, energy yield prediction, land cover, developing regions, China
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