The role of biomass to address global energy and environmental challenges

Energy is a crucial resource for social and economic development. For over a century, fossil resources of carbon (C) (coal and petroleum) have been indispensable for producing energy, fuels, and materials. However, the increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration, responsible for global warming, is largely associated with fossil fuel use. One of the most promising alternatives for CO2 reduction is substituting fossil C resources with C renewable resources. Biomass is our only renewable C resource to produce fuels, heat, chemicals, and materials. A thorough analysis of the whole biomass supply chain is needed to develop strategies that employ biomass to fight global warming. Such analysis can only be conducted with multidisciplinary, multidimensional teams with technical, social, environmental, and economic knowledge. This chapter offers a global picture of energy use, its connection with development, and its relationship with the C cycle.