WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Jim Greenwood, president and CEO
of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), released the following
statement on the opening in Rome of the U.N. Commission for Sustainable
Development's Global Bioenergy Partnership Secretariat:
"BIO shares with the Global Bioenergy Partnership the mission of
supporting the environmentally and economically sustainable production of
alternative fuels from agriculture. Biofuels such as ethanol made from both
grains and crop residues or energy crops can reduce worldwide reliance on
oil, produce income for farmers and rural economies, and reduce net carbon
dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.
"Biomass has the potential to supply a very large share of the world's
energy needs -- by one analysis, as much as 60 percent of total worldwide
energy use. Renewable agricultural resources are readily available to meet
this level of energy production. Biotech breakthroughs mean that
agricultural fields could become the energy fields of the future. With the
help of agricultural and industrial biotechnology, farmers can harvest two
crops from every field -- a food crop and a biomass crop for fuel
production. The United Nations can do a great deal to promote biofuels
development worldwide.
"Worldwide, fossil fuel production and use account for 60 percent of
the greenhouse gas emissions affecting climate change. Biofuels hold the
potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 90 percent.
"BIO supports the production of ethanol from all feedstocks.
Agricultural biotechnology is helping to increase corn yields, while
industrial biotechnology is helping to convert corn starch and crop
residues into ethanol more efficiently. With ongoing advances in
biotechnology, biofuels can help the world meet its growing energy needs.
Biofuels can help America meet nearly half its transportation-fuel needs by
the middle of this century."
BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic
institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across
the United States and 31 other nations. BIO members are involved in the
research and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and
environmental biotechnology products. http://www.bio.org.
SOURCE Biotechnology Industry Organization
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Related links:
http://www.bio.org/
CONTACT:
Paul Winters of BIO, +1-202-962-9237
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