S
Social impact of biofuel
production: The case of
Brazilian ethanol
Leandro R. Tessler
IFGW, Unicamp
Social impact of biofuel production
S Biofuel production has a strong impact in the economies of
many countries.
S Very often the social impact of the endeavor is overseen in
favor of economical
S Here I will review some social consequences of bioethanol
production in Brazil.
Bioethanol in Brazil
S Bioethanol in Brazil: Sugar cane
S Favorable 9:1 energy balance, compared to 2:1 for corn
ethanol.
S Large distribution infrastructure: Petrobrás.
Historical background
Colonial and imperial times
S Brazilian economy from XVI to XVIII centuries based on
sugar exports to Europe.
S Labor intensive processes powered by slave manpower.
S Very hard conditions in the fields.
S End of slavery in 1888 led to the end of the Empire in 1889.
S At this time coffee had surpassed sugar as main Brazilian
export
Historical background
1973: Proálcool
S Context: Oil crisis
S Objective: to reduce petroleum imports.
S Investment: subsidy program (US$10 bn).
S Results: avoided oil imports (US$60 bn).
S Main actions: S Ethanol price fixed on 65% of gasoline (advantage to ethanol) S Anhydrous ethanol added to gasoline, hydrated ethanol as combustible S Production quotas: cane, sugar and ethanol S Governmental control of sales: distribution by Petrobras S Tax reduction for ethanol-powered cars
S Mid 80s: 90% of all cars sold in Brazil were ethanol powered.
S 90s: Ethanol crisis S Increase of sugar price in the international market S Technical problems with ethanol-powered cars.
Where Brazil plants sugarcane?
S North-east coast:
S Oldest (XVI century)
S 55 ton/ha
S South-east
S Highest productivity
S >82 ton/ha
S Highest mechanization
S Center-west
S Highest potential for
expansion
Working conditions in the
sugarcane fields: manual harvesting
S Manual harvesting traditionally involves burning of the
straw to facilitate cutting
Working conditions
S One sugar cane worker cuts 10-12 tons per day
S Wages are seasonal S Although they are low, they are the second best in agriculture in
Brazil
S São Paulo State: best working conditions and best statistics available
S Recent study announced by the Secretary of Health S 27 mills in São Paulo State S A worker S does 17 back movements and 54 hits in the cane per minute S loses 8 liters of water per day S walks 9 km per day S has bad sanitation conditions
Canasat: Monitoring sugarcane crop
and harvesting in the SP state
S Possible to monitor the sugarcane burning
S http://www.dsr.inpe.br/laf/canasat/en/harvest.html
S Clear progress towards reducing burning
S Social problem:
S Mechanization creates unemployment of marginally qualified
personnel
S 115 k jobs lost because of mechanization
S Need to qualify
Bioethanol Consumption
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
Janeiro Julho Janeiro Julho Janeiro Julho Janeiro Julho Janeiro Julho
Mil
hõ
es
Unhydrated
Hydrated
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Bio
eth
an
ol
con
sum
pti
on
(li
ters
)
Source: UNICA
Summary
S Bioethanol production in Brazil has social costs and benefits
S Although the working conditions are very harsh, there is a
clear social inclusion effect by hiring workers with very low
qualification
S Sugarcane industry: 630 k jobs in the fields and 570 k jobs in
production: more than 1 million people
S Regulations are in the good direction but still more than
half of all sugarcane planted in Brazil is harvested manually
S Bioethanol production is not a threat to food security