Environmental and social implications of integrated seawater agriculture systems producing Salicornia bigelovii for biofuel

Abstract

Background: This article examines environmental and social sustainability of integrated seawater agriculture systems growing Salicornia bigelovii for biofuel. Case studies in Eritrea and Mexico are evaluated using Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels criteria. Results: Producer claims versus accomplishments centered on desirable environmental and socioeconomic outcomes are discussed. Operations ceased due to political instability, mismanagement and community opposition. Conclusion: Dialogue promoting sustainable biofuel suggests producers utilize marginal land; however, marginal land may contain sites of ecological or cultural significance. Implementation efforts, however well intentioned, may involve tradeoffs and political maneuvering that can derail projects. In these case studies, conflicting narratives and limited transparency further compounded technical and social complexity. Free, prior and informed consent as well as independent environmental monitoring could reduce risk of project failure.

Acknowledgements

We appreciate inputs from integrated seawater agriculture system experts including C Hodges, R Lux and J Tiwari and Salicornia growers such as J Hoek, JR Noriega and C Zhang. E Glenn offered insights on halophyte research. M Bond collaborated in outreach to Salicornia growers. G Sato and C Redmond provided helpful perspectives on Eritrea. M Chavez-Reyes assisted contact with the Seri community. Our (anonymous) Seri interviewee was helpful discussing his experiences and showing us Salicornia and mangroves estuaries. B Martinez, P Quadri and S Ramirez provided Spanish translation research assistance. E Ezcurra, D Luque Agraz, A Rios Galvan and E Rueda Puente helped contextualize Salicornia biofuel production in the Sonoran desert. L Meltzer of Prescott College hosted the research team in Bahia Kino. R Enríquez provided GIS files to help assess Sonoran coastal conservation. F Strebeigh, R Kauffman, C Carpenter, A Doolittle and J Saiers also provided insight. All errors and omissions are the sole responsibility of the authors.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

UOP LLC sponsored this research with a grant to Yale University in 2010. A statement of work was issued by The Boeing Company acting through its Research and Technology division, to perform a sustainability assessment on biojet fuel derived from halophytes and related aquaculture systems. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.