The Energy, Ecosystems and Livelihoods Initiative will initially focus on two energy systems that have the most potential implications for ecosystems and associated livelihoods: bioenergy and oil & gas.
Energy production
Every energy production system has some effect on ecosystems, even those that are portrayed as environmentally-friendly.
Biofuels - managing risks into opportunities
The emergence of a global biofuels market has significant implications for ecosystems and livelihoods around the world.
Under current regulatory and market frameworks these implications are likely to be negative, yet biofuel markets could conceivably drive positive conservation and livelihood outcomes.
Given the clear intersection between biofuels, ecosystems and livelihoods, IUCN has under taken a number of activities related to biofuels. See here for more information.
Oil and gas - expanding best practice
Climate change, development imperatives and security concerns are transforming the energy agenda in ways which pose both challenges and opportunities to the oil and gas community.
Globally, oil and gas companies are facing a changing risk landscape which will affect access to new and existing fields, formal and informal licenses to operate, and access to end markets. Ecosystem and livelihood issues play a role in this changing landscape – both by imposing constraints on where and how companies operate and by providing the enabling environment for new energy solutions.
See IUCN's Business and Biodiversity Programme for more information on previous experience in this area.
