When: 17-21 June 2024
Where: Rome, Italy
Since 2013, the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) has been organizing a Bioenergy Week every year in a different region of the world. In 2024, the 11th Bioenergy Week was held in Rome, Italy, from 17 to 21 June.
UNEP joined other international organizations to unite to call for responsible and sustainable implementation of bioenergy systems to ensure it contributes effectively to efforts to mitigate climate change and support global development.
In Rome, a cross-initiative coordination group on bioenergy convened by the GBEP issued a joint statement underscoring the significance of sustainable bioenergy in addressing climate change and critical development challenges.
The group also acknowledges the complexity of bioenergy systems and the necessity for robust and inclusive governance to ensure sustainability and minimize the risks of negative impacts.
“Good governance builds on evidence-based assessment of environmental, economic, social and political factors, and safeguards food and energy security, climate justice, biodiversity stewardship, land and water rights and local development priorities. It follows the principles of nature-based solutions, including local stakeholder engagement, and free, prior and informed consent,” the statement reads.
Months of collaborative effort and rigorous discussions culminated in the development of this joint statement, which marks a significant step forward in galvanizing global efforts to harness bioenergy as a key solution to combat climate change and advance the sustainable development goals
UNEP has been part and contributed to the joint statement was issued at the 11th GBEP Bioenergy Week organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which gathered over 120 stakeholders from 27 countries, including government officials, bioenergy experts and researchers to discuss best practices, challenges, and opportunities in the bioenergy sector, and share knowledge essential for the sustainable development of bioenergy.
