Use of U.S. Croplands for Biofuels Increases Greenhouse Gases Through Emissions from Land-Use Change

Timothy Searchinger; Ralph Heimlich; R. A. Houghton; Fengxia Dong; Amani Elobeid; Jacinto Fabiosa; Simla Tokgoz; Dermot Hayes; Tun-Hsiang Yu

doi:10.1126/science.1151861

journal article Feb 29, 2008

Use of U.S. Croplands for Biofuels Increases Greenhouse Gases Through Emissions from Land-Use Change

Timothy Searchinger Ralph Heimlich R. A. Houghton

Fengxia Dong Amani Elobeid Jacinto Fabiosa Simla Tokgoz Dermot Hayes Tun-Hsiang Yu

Science Vol. 319 No. 5867 pp. 1238-1240 · American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

View at Publisher Save 10.1126/science.1151861

Abstract

Most prior studies have found that substituting biofuels for gasoline will reduce greenhouse gases because biofuels sequester carbon through the growth of the feedstock. These analyses have failed to count the carbon emissions that occur as farmers worldwide respond to higher prices and convert forest and grassland to new cropland to replace the grain (or cropland) diverted to biofuels. By using a worldwide agricultural model to estimate emissions from land-use change, we found that corn-based ethanol, instead of producing a 20% savings, nearly doubles greenhouse emissions over 30 years and increases greenhouse gases for 167 years. Biofuels from switchgrass, if grown on U.S. corn lands, increase emissions by 50%. This result raises concerns about large biofuel mandates and highlights the value of using waste products.

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Details

Published: Feb 29, 2008
Vol/Issue: 319(5867)
Pages: 1238-1240

Authors

T

Timothy Searchinger

Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. German Marshall Fund of the United States, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute, Washington, DC 20001, USA.; Agricultural Conservation Economics, Laurel, MD 20723, USA.; Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth, MA 02540–1644, USA.; Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.

R

Ralph Heimlich

Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. German Marshall Fund of the United States, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute, Washington, DC 20001, USA.; Agricultural Conservation Economics, Laurel, MD 20723, USA.; Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth, MA 02540–1644, USA.; Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.

R

R. A. Houghton

Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. German Marshall Fund of the United States, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute, Washington, DC 20001, USA.; Agricultural Conservation Economics, Laurel, MD 20723, USA.; Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth, MA 02540–1644, USA.; Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.

F

Fengxia Dong

Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. German Marshall Fund of the United States, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute, Washington, DC 20001, USA.; Agricultural Conservation Economics, Laurel, MD 20723, USA.; Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth, MA 02540–1644, USA.; Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.

A

Amani Elobeid

Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. German Marshall Fund of the United States, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute, Washington, DC 20001, USA.; Agricultural Conservation Economics, Laurel, MD 20723, USA.; Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth, MA 02540–1644, USA.; Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.

J

Jacinto Fabiosa

Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. German Marshall Fund of the United States, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute, Washington, DC 20001, USA.; Agricultural Conservation Economics, Laurel, MD 20723, USA.; Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth, MA 02540–1644, USA.; Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.

S

Simla Tokgoz

Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. German Marshall Fund of the United States, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute, Washington, DC 20001, USA.; Agricultural Conservation Economics, Laurel, MD 20723, USA.; Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth, MA 02540–1644, USA.; Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.

D

Dermot Hayes

Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. German Marshall Fund of the United States, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute, Washington, DC 20001, USA.; Agricultural Conservation Economics, Laurel, MD 20723, USA.; Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth, MA 02540–1644, USA.; Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.

T

Tun-Hsiang Yu

Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. German Marshall Fund of the United States, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute, Washington, DC 20001, USA.; Agricultural Conservation Economics, Laurel, MD 20723, USA.; Woods Hole Research Center, Falmouth, MA 02540–1644, USA.; Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.

Cite This Article

Timothy Searchinger, Ralph Heimlich, R. A. Houghton, et al. (2008). Use of U.S. Croplands for Biofuels Increases Greenhouse Gases Through Emissions from Land-Use Change. Science, 319(5867), 1238-1240. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1151861

Use of U.S. Croplands for Biofuels Increases Greenhouse Gases Through Emissions from Land-Use Change

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