Concepts for Industry Co-Regulation of Bio-fuel Weeds

Abstract

H. L. Mencken's famous quote "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" often seems appropriate to our attempts to distil simple policy answers to very complex social challenges as illustrated with bio-fuel policies, an intrinsically risky policy-making area. Second-generation bio-fuels, which can be produced with energy crops, are promoted as one simple solution to the adverse effects of first-generation bio-fuels. First generation production from plant material that is also suitable for human or animal consumption poses the risks of price and availability pressures on competing valued uses. Second generation bio-energy inputs include waste material or species that are not consumed by humans and domestic stock. They hold the promise of providing new economic crops in areas that are unsuitably for present cultivation, or securing value from waste resources. However, some of the candidate feedstock that includes native species, woody or grassy weeds, exotic species and plants modified by plant breeding or genetic manipulation1 have invasive features and might later become weeds. Recent analysis suggests that bio-fuel weeds risk is potentially a substantial 'downside' of this potential major industry.