Discussions will focus on informing sustainable bioenergy policies, promoting sustainable biomass production as part of the bioeconomy, and enhancing energy access.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will host at its headquarters in Rome the 11th GBEP Bioenergy Week, an international event dedicated to exploring the role of bioenergy in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and implementing the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, thereby advancing climate goals, food security, better land use, and sustainable energy for all.

The five-day conference brings together a large network of bioenergy stakeholders, including international experts, decision makers and private sector representatives to discuss current trends, future opportunities and challenges in bioenergy.

Previous editions have successfully contributed to exchanging views, best practices and lessons learned among stakeholders on ways to improve the sustainability of bioenergy in agrifood systems through both practical and policy interventions on agricultural productivity and yield, feedstock logistics, and the use of modern conversion technologies. This event, unlike previous GBEP Bioenergy Weeks focusing on regional priorities, will take a global perspective.

The 11th GBEP Bioenergy Week has been organized by FAO in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, both of whom are founding members of GBEP,  a partnership hosted by FAO, and initiated in response to the Gleneagles Plan of Action in 2005 by the G8 +5 countries. Its mission is to “to support wider, cost-effective biomass and biofuels deployment, particularly in developing countries where biomass use is prevalent”.

Each day of the five-day conference will focus on a different theme, including youth, science-to-policy, bioenergy in the context of the broader economy, climate change and energy access.

On the first day, GBEP and the Youth and United Nations Global Alliance (YUNGA) have organized the first edition of the “GBEP-YUNGA Bioenergy Youth Day” which aims to give space for youth engagement and capacity building, and to present the 2024 GBEP Youth Award.  The event, which will be held on 17 June 2024, at FAO Headquarters, will encompass both educative and training activities on sustainable bioenergy, with a focus on innovations and technologies. The activities will be targeted at students of various age groups and will include a bioenergy discovery circuit for youth aged 14-19 and bioenergy lectures for master and PhD students.