The Insight
Sustainability Assessment and Biofuels: Unpacking the Hidden Trade-offs of Corn Ethanol Policy
This article explores how a comprehensive sustainability assessment framework can reveal the hidden economic and environmental trade-offs of biofuel policies. Using the U.S. corn ethanol boom as a case study, we examine the disconnect between policy goals—such as the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act—and real-world impacts like land-use change carbon debt, water quality degradation, and supply chain pressures. By integrating facts on tax credits, production volumes, and lifecycle emissions, the analysis shows why sustainability management must move beyond simple greenhouse gas accounting to address systemic risks.