Lack of energy access presents a significant barrier for agrifood systems, with impacts that could interest all phases of the value chain. Low energy access can lead to low productivity and efficiency, interrupted refrigeration chains, limited cooking and access to nutritious food and safe water, therefore preventing food security. Ensuring energy access for all is a required condition to feed a global population nearing 10 billion by 2050. Progress made so far remains inadequate: over 2.3 billion people lack clean cooking facilities, and 800 million people do not have access to electricity. Furthermore, the reliance of agrifood systems on the use of fossil fuels is unsustainable, with the sector producing an estimated 31% of the total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and the food industry accounting for 30% of the world’s total energy consumption. Modern bioenergy, a renewable energy source derived from biomass such as wood, crops, and organic wastes and residues, emerges as a promising green solution to enhance energy access and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in agrifood systems. Modern forms of bioenergy, including solid, liquid, and gaseous biofuels, offer multiple opportunities for the provision of electricity, heat, and transport fuel while reducing emissions compared to traditional energy forms, such as fossil fuels or fuelwood. However, bioenergy presents also constraints, mainly linked with the competition for resources, such as land, water and nutrients. Ensuring the sustainability of modern bioenergy systems is key. The Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP), is an international initiative, working to foster a sustainable
development of modern bioenergy sector at global level. GBEP, which currently counts approximately 90 members among international organizations and country governments, has developed the most widely recognized set of indicators for the assessment and monitoring of bioenergy sustainability, comprising economic, social and environmental considerations – the GBEP Sustainability Indicators for Bioenergy (GSIs). The implementation of the GSIs can inform the formulation of policy that can guide a more sustainable development of the sector, therefore contributing to accelerate a just, inclusive and lowcarbon energy transition. Integrated food and bioenergy systems, such as gasification and biogas, represent important opportunities to enhance efficiency of agrifood systems, adding value to organic waste and residues while enhancing access to clean energy, including power and clean cooking, especially in remote areas of developing countries, which frequently lack a connection to the grid. These modern bioenergy systems reduce indoor air pollution and pressure on forest resources compared to traditional wood energy. Furthermore, they represent a successful example of circular economy, contributing to restore soil quality and productivity, while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing soil carbon storage using their respective by-products (respectively biochar and digestate) as soil amendment. Harnessing the potential of sustainable bioenergy could offer a multifaceted solution to implementing the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and accelerate the achievement of the agreed UN Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).