IEA Bioenergy Task 45: Climate and Sustainability Effects of Bioenergy within the Circular Bioeconomy (Working period 2025 - 2027)

Objectives

Task 45 aims to promote the sustainable development of bioenergy as an integral part of the bioeconomy. The goal is to provide science-based information to support decision-making at local, national, and international levels. The focus is on developing and applying methodologies for assessing the climate and sustainability impacts of biobased systems. The Task pursues four sub-objectives:

1. development and comparison of appropriate assessment methods,
2. improvement of regulatory and governance systems,
3. promotion of international dialogue on methodology and governance, and
4. support for the implementation of context-specific strategies to achieve the SDGs and climate goals.

Content

The thematic focus for the 2025–2027 triennium is on further developing impact assessment methods—particularly for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—and analyzing governance mechanisms and policy frameworks. The Task is structured into three work packages (WPs):

• WP1 "Land": Assessment of sustainable land use systems that integrate biodiversity, biomass provision, and carbon storage.
• WP2 "Systems": System-level assessment of climate and sustainability impacts of biobased systems across sectors, including integration of LCA and Integrated Assessment Models (IAM).
• WP3 "Governance": Evaluation and further development of governance approaches, certification systems, and policy instruments to support sustainable bioenergy use.

Projects and workshops will address topics such as biodiversity indicators, SDG synergies, land-use impacts, and certification issues (e.g., GHGP LSRG).

Expected Results

Key expected outcomes include the advancement and application of assessment methods for GHG emissions and biodiversity, as well as active participation in international discussions, particularly on certification standards. Studies show that the benefits of bioenergy are highly context-dependent—from local land management to global climate and energy policies. Biomass use can contribute positively to the achievement of the SDGs but carries risks if not adequately regulated.

The Austrian Task 45 team is making particular efforts to actively participate in, or lead, projects focused on model development for optimal land use related to sustainable biomass and bioenergy, as well as biomass deployment in hard-to-abate sectors such as steel and cement industries.

The Task has identified challenges related to polarized debates and misleading narratives and is committed to promoting science-based communication and robust carbon accounting standards. Future results will be disseminated more strategically—through popular science reports, academic publications, webinars, and factsheets.

Austria, Australia, Brazil, China, Denmark, EC, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands (Task Leader), Norway, Sweden, UK, USA

Project leader

Internationales Institut für angewandte Systemanalyse (IIASA)
Dr. Florian Kraxner
Principal Research Scholar, Research Group Leader
NTL Österreich
Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Lower Austria
Tel: +43 2236 807 233
E-Mail: kraxner@iiasa.ac.at

Project partner

BEST - Bioenergy and Sustainable Technologies GmbH
Dr. Christoph Strasser
Area Manager Sustainable Supply and Value Cycles
Gewerbepark Haag 3, 3250 Wieselburg-Land
E-Mail: christoph.strasser@best-research.eu