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Payback time for soil carbon and sugar-cane ethanol

Author

Listed:
  • Francisco F. C. Mello

    (Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo
    Sustainability Science Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University)

  • Carlos E. P. Cerri

    (‘Luiz de Queiroz’ College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo)

  • Christian A. Davies

    (Shell Technology Centre Houston, 3333 Highway 6 South Houston, Texas 77082, USA)

  • N. Michele Holbrook

    (Sustainability Science Program, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
    Harvard University)

  • Keith Paustian

    (Colorado State University)

  • Stoécio M. F. Maia

    (Instituto Federal de Alagoas, Maceió)

  • Marcelo V. Galdos

    (Laboratório Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Bioetanol — CTBE)

  • Martial Bernoux

    (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement — IRD, UMR Eco&Sols, 2 place Viala 34060 Montpellier, France)

  • Carlos C. Cerri

    (Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, University of São Paulo)

Abstract

Sugar cane is increasingly cultivated for bioenergy. This work looks at the effects on the soil-carbon balance of converting native vegetation, pastures or existing cropland, to sugar-cane plantations in Brazil, the world’s largest producer. The findings of the study should help shape policies aimed at achieving more sustainable sugar-cane production in Brazil as demand for biofuels grows.

Suggested Citation

  • Francisco F. C. Mello & Carlos E. P. Cerri & Christian A. Davies & N. Michele Holbrook & Keith Paustian & Stoécio M. F. Maia & Marcelo V. Galdos & Martial Bernoux & Carlos C. Cerri, 2014. "Payback time for soil carbon and sugar-cane ethanol," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 4(7), pages 605-609, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:4:y:2014:i:7:d:10.1038_nclimate2239
    DOI: 10.1038/nclimate2239
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Maggie R. Davis & Bruno J. R. Alves & Douglas L. Karlen & Keith L. Kline & Marcelo Galdos & Dana Abulebdeh, 2017. "Review of Soil Organic Carbon Measurement Protocols: A US and Brazil Comparison and Recommendation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-20, December.
    2. Filoso, Solange & Carmo, Janaina Braga do & Mardegan, Sílvia Fernanda & Lins, Silvia Rafaela Machado & Gomes, Taciana Figueiredo & Martinelli, Luiz Antonio, 2015. "Reassessing the environmental impacts of sugarcane ethanol production in Brazil to help meet sustainability goals," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1847-1856.
    3. Alkimim, Akenya & Clarke, Keith C., 2018. "Land use change and the carbon debt for sugarcane ethanol production in Brazil," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 65-73.
    4. Kargbo, Hannah & Harris, Jonathan Stuart & Phan, Anh N., 2021. "“Drop-in” fuel production from biomass: Critical review on techno-economic feasibility and sustainability," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    5. de Oliveira Bordonal, Ricardo & Lal, Rattan & Alves Aguiar, Daniel & de Figueiredo, Eduardo Barretto & Ito Perillo, Luciano & Adami, Marcos & Theodor Rudorff, Bernardo Friedrich & La Scala, Newton, 2015. "Greenhouse gas balance from cultivation and direct land use change of recently established sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) plantation in south-central Brazil," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 547-556.
    6. Louisa Jane Di Felice & Maddalena Ripa & Mario Giampietro, 2018. "Deep Decarbonisation from a Biophysical Perspective: GHG Emissions of a Renewable Electricity Transformation in the EU," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-17, October.
    7. Ivan Vera & Birka Wicke & Floor van der Hilst, 2020. "Spatial Variation in Environmental Impacts of Sugarcane Expansion in Brazil," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-20, October.
    8. Pereira, L.G. & Cavalett, O. & Bonomi, A. & Zhang, Y. & Warner, E. & Chum, H.L., 2019. "Comparison of biofuel life-cycle GHG emissions assessment tools: The case studies of ethanol produced from sugarcane, corn, and wheat," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 1-12.
    9. Maurício R Cherubin & Douglas L Karlen & Carlos E P Cerri & André L C Franco & Cássio A Tormena & Christian A Davies & Carlos C Cerri, 2016. "Soil Quality Indexing Strategies for Evaluating Sugarcane Expansion in Brazil," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(3), pages 1-26, March.
    10. Gustavo V. Popin & Arthur K. B. Santos & Thiago de P. Oliveira & Plínio B. Camargo & Carlos E. P. Cerri & Marcos Siqueira-Neto, 2020. "Sugarcane straw management for bioenergy: effects of global warming on greenhouse gas emissions and soil carbon storage," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 559-577, April.

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