IEA Bioenergy: Quantifying biodiversity impacts of bioenergy system – Latest development in the scope of LCA

The IEA Bioenergy Task 45, in collaboration with the Mistra BIOPATH programme, has published the report “Quantifying biodiversity impacts of bioenergy systems – Latest developments in the scope of LCA”. The study provides a state-of-the-art overview of how biodiversity impacts can be assessed within life cycle assessment (LCA) frameworks, particularly in the context of bioenergy production and land use.

Biodiversity in life cycle assessment

While LCA is well established for evaluating greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprints, integrating biodiversity considerations remains complex. Biodiversity is multidimensional, context-dependent, and influenced by land use, management intensity, and ecosystem characteristics. The report outlines recent progress in methods and models to better capture these dynamics, highlighting work by the EU Business and Biodiversity Platform and the UNEP Life Cycle Initiative on global guidance for environmental impact indicators.

A key challenge is defining reference land-use states and spatial boundaries that determine what biodiversity “loss” means in practice. The study reviews how new frameworks, including the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) approach of the European Commission, aim to make biodiversity an integral part of environmental impact categories used in LCA.

To demonstrate practical application, the report includes a case study on forestry residues used for combined heat and power (CHP) in southern Sweden. Using the Biodiversity Potential (BP) method, the study assessed how logging residue removal affects forest biodiversity.

Results showed that most forest stands had biodiversity potential (BP) values well below ideal reference conditions, with variations depending on forest type and management. Stands dominated by spruce had lower biodiversity potential than mixed or deciduous stands. The analysis indicated that selective removal of logging residues generally caused minor additional biodiversity impacts, provided that sufficient coarse deadwood and old trees are maintained in the forest ecosystem.

The report identifies several priorities for improving biodiversity assessment in LCA:

• Expanding the availability of spatial and ecological data, including through remote sensing technologies.
• Developing robust biodiversity indicators that are both scientifically credible and relevant for business and policy.
• Improving the link between biodiversity metrics and real-world management decisions, allowing companies to use LCA results to guide sustainable sourcing of biomass.

Key takeaway

The report concludes that biodiversity assessment should become a standard component of bioenergy life cycle analyses, alongside climate impacts. Incorporating biodiversity metrics in LCA can help policymakers and companies identify trade-offs, improve supply chain transparency, and guide actions that support both climate and biodiversity goals.

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