Converting Waste Agricultural Biomass into a Resource - UNEP

2. Rationale
One of the critical activities of the United Nations Environment Program -
Division of Technology, Industry and Economics - International Environmental
Technology Center (UNEP-DTIE-IETC) is to promote sustainable
consumption patterns. It also supports the Bali Strategic Plan for Capacity
Building and Technology Support. Given these two thrusts, UNEP-DTIE-IETC
conceptualized a project that would promote ecological solid waste
management, reduction of greenhouse gases, maximum utilization of
resources, and promote energy-efficient and environmentally-sound
technologies.
Cognizant of the importance of converting waste biomass into a resource,
UNEP-DTIE-IETC partnered with the Development Academy of the
Philippines (DAP) in a project that would assess the global production and
projection of waste biomass, compile data on existing biomass waste
conversion technologies, evaluate these technologies based on the
Sustainable Assessment of Technologies (SAT) Framework, develop a
framework and conducive policy environment for the promotion of waste
biomass use, and identify a site for a pilot demonstration project.
The main objectives of the project are to identify and assess environmentallysound
technologies for converting cellulosic biomass into energy and raw
materials, and promote the use of biomass. Its outputs include a global
assessment of biomass waste, development of a compendium of waste
biomass conversion technologies, assessment of environmentally-sustainable
technologies, selection of a project site for a demonstration project, and
development of a policy framework for the increased use of waste biomass in
a selected region in the Philippines. Overall, the project seeks to raise
awareness on cellulosic biomass use globally, especially in developing
countries, enable the implementation of such technologies to reduce GHG
emissions from the use of fossil fuels, and augment material resources for a
variety of products.
One of the major outputs of the project, the Compendium of Waste Biomass
Conversion Technologies is an online resource site 4 of existing conversion
systems and equipment utilizing agricultural residues, in commercial, pilot
demonstration and research level of use. The Compendium is composed of
the following parts:
Part I: Conversion of Waste Biomass to Energy
Part II: Conversion of Waste Biomass to Materials
The primary purpose of the Compendium is to respond to the information
needs of decision-makers and end-users in selecting appropriate biomass
4 Aside from the Compendium of Biomass Waste Conversion Technologies, the site also features other outputs of
the UNEP-DAP Biomass Project such as a global assessment of biomass waste generation and projection, and data
on the planned demonstration project.
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