Heinz Center Co-Hosts Conference on Biofuels, Carbon & Trade

The Heinz Center partnered with other organizations leading the environmental policy dialogue to present “Biofuels, Carbon and Trade: Leadership Challenges for the Interdependent Americas,” a conference held October 22-23, 2007 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel will be a key part of the international response to the rising price of oil, its potential depletion and the need to provide clean energy in a carbon-managed world.

While biofuels are perceived by many nations as viable solutions to energy, security and climate challenges, the potential costs of a large scale shift to renewable biofuels include local impacts to land, water, and air quality, and global impacts associated with energy balance, greenhouse gas emissions, and unwanted effects on the price of food.

This conference gave leaders in the sciences, public affairs and business an opportunity to understand the critical issues of biofuel production, carbon management and trade as part of an interlocking whole. During the two-day forum a wealth of information was presented, and many robust discussions were held around topics such as the social and environmental impacts of biofuels, implications for global carbon budgets and international trade policies. 

To view conference presentations and videos or to learn more, please visit the conference website http://www.biofuels.umn.edu/welcome.html.