Biobased Technologies and SDG Interlinkages
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Biobased technologies play a dual role in mitigation and adaptation. The Climate Technology Progress Report 2025 shows how each pathway connects to SDGs and where trade-offs must be managed.
Biogas provides high mitigation potential, reducing emissions by 80 to 90 percent compared to fossil fuels. It supports adaptation through digestate that improves soil fertility and flexible power generation that stabilizes renewable energy systems.
Improved cookstoves reduce biomass use by 30 to 50 percent, lowering emissions and forest pressure. They improve air quality and support women’s health and safety, advancing SDGs on energy, health, and gender equality.
Solid biofuels such as briquettes reduce methane from residue burning and replace charcoal, protecting forests. They offer clear mitigation and adaptation benefits through improved soil management and waste use.
Second-generation bioethanol made from residues achieves 60 to 80 percent emission reductions without competing with food crops. It contributes to cleaner air and improved soil management but requires nutrient recycling to avoid depletion.
Biodiesel derived from waste oil or residues offers 40 to 80 percent emission reductions. It supports adaptation by diversifying rural income and improving energy security, but risks arise when production expands into sensitive land areas.
Agroforestry systems integrate trees into farms, sequestering carbon above and below ground while improving soils and water retention. They enhance resilience to droughts and floods and align with SDGs on food, land, and climate.
Forest-based adaptation reduces risks from floods, droughts, and avalanches while conserving biodiversity. It delivers strong co-benefits for water regulation, disaster prevention, and recognition of Indigenous knowledge systems.
Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) provides high theoretical mitigation potential through negative emissions. Adaptation benefits are limited to diversification of energy sources, and safeguards are needed to avoid maladaptation.
Bioplastics made from organic waste or residues cut lifecycle emissions by 30 to 70 percent and reduce fossil dependence. Their real benefit depends on responsible feedstock sourcing and effective waste management systems.
Biomaterials for construction, including timber and bamboo, achieve high mitigation by storing carbon and substituting steel and concrete. Adaptation value comes from improved insulation and housing resilience.
Each technology links to multiple SDGs, including clean energy, health, gender equality, sustainable cities, responsible consumption, and climate action. These interconnections show how biobased pathways can deliver integrated environmental and social benefits.
Source: The Climate Technology Progress Report 2025
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