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Energy independence is playing a growing role in politics regarding security, peace and stability worldwide - and eyes are turning to Africa as the continent with the most “under-utilized” agricultural lands on the earth. Keeping in mind the high pace of urbanization and population growth in Africa, development in this field has to take place. Many studies have revealed the growing need to produce cleaner energy and to stop climate change. Agenda 21, the Kyoto Protocol and other international agreements and determining national policy documents, all over the world, indicate the need to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources in a sustainable way. Biofuels in this regard could increasingly become part of a solution to a wide range of challenges, from environmental sustainability in the face of climate change, to energy security rising geopolitical instability, to economic growth. Furthermore, biofuels can contribute to global climate mitigation and the urgency of the need to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

This timely expert workshop before COP 21 facilitated by KAS to-gether with the Development and Rule of Law Programme (DROP) and the Biofuels Research Chair at the Stellenbosch University focused on the above mentioned conflict by pointing out practical opportunities and regional challenges regarding the potential of biofuels as one solution for climate change mitigation.