Over the coming decades the global footprint of energy used for transportation fuel in the UK is likely to change radically as crude oil production in North Sea fields declines and there is an increased use of biofuels derived from crops such as soybean and sugarcane. As the UK’s reliance on imported fuels increases there is a pressing need to understand the impacts that this will have on other parts of the world. The aim of this project is to develop a methodology to assess the impact that the production of different transportation fuels has on ecosystem services globally so that the UK can prioritize investment in areas where there is likely to be the least impact. Through the use of life cycle analysis the project will examine the aggregate environmental impacts of oil and biofuel production to gain a more comprehensive view of the effects of each on the provision of ecosystem services globally.
