A contribution to global sustainable development: inclusion of microalgae and their biomass in production and bio cycles

Excerpt

Progress in scientific knowledge and its application via industrial products creates new hope of improved living standards. However, this progress also gives rise to additional questions, concerns, and even opposition, at times violent, from citizens or opinion leaders. There are many different groups and communities, which do not always trust or listen to each other, rendering dialogue difficult. The positions of each are undeniably legitimate and respectable, but take little account of the additional perspectives of a multi-dimensional reality. I suggest that the knowledge-based bio-economy will play an important role in the emerging reality. Past ‘green’ revolutions have required substantial external inputs, such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides. While technology has provided yield increases, this was not sustainable in the long term. Some technological improvements have reduced production risk, while others have increased it. Furthermore, the effects of technological change on production risk have varied over time, space, and production activities. Some of these side effects have been detrimental to individual and public welfare (WDR 2008). For example, while increases in the use of fertilizers like nitrogen have had a positive impact on agricultural production, they have also had notable negative effects on human and environmental health (Pardey et al. 2008). Furthermore, the effect of technological change in agriculture extends beyond improvements in the quantity and quality of agricultural output. Non-governmental organisations have criticized the reliance on green revolution technologies, as they are believed to be environmentally unsustainable and discriminatory to resource-poor farmers. Environmental groups such as Greenpeace have opposed the introduction of biotech crops. At the same time, climate change is expected to have far-reaching implications for agriculture that will disproportionately affect the poor (WDR 2008). Greater risks of crop failures and livestock deaths are already imposing economic losses and undermining food security and they are likely to get far more severe as global warming continues (IFAD 2007; WDR 2008). Five main climate change factors are predicted to affect agricultural productivity: changes in temperature, precipitation, CO₂ fertilization, climate variability, and surface water runoff. Adaptation measures are needed urgently to reduce the adverse impacts of climate change, as well as to minimize the costs of natural disasters. Acceleration of sustainable development requires the implementation of adaptation and mitigation measures. …