biostudies-literatureRobledo-Abad CSocial Sciences and Humanities Research Council of CanadaSvenska Forskningsrådet FormasEuropean Research CouncilAustrian Academy of SciencesSeventh Framework ProgrammeStiftung Mercator Schweiz541-556https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC5340281biostudies-literatureUnknown9(3)The possibility of using bioenergy as a climate change mitigation measure has sparked a discussion of whether and how bioenergy production contributes to sustainable development. We undertook a systematic review of the scientific literature to illuminate this relationship and found a limited scientific basis for policymaking. Our results indicate that knowledge on the sustainable development impacts of bioenergy production is concentrated in a few well-studied countries, focuses on environmental and economic impacts, and mostly relates to dedicated agricultural biomass plantations. The scope and methodological approaches in studies differ widely and only a small share of the studies sufficiently reports on context and/or baseline conditions, which makes it difficult to get a general undersGlobal change biology. BioenergyBioenergy production and sustainable development: science base for policymaking remains limited.PMC5340281313533603542Olund MAlthaus HJMuys BNordborg MHunsberger CRobledo-Abad CLeitner SLarsen RKGeddes AHanger SLilliestam JPopp ACreutzig FBerndes GReinhard JGregg JSBolwig SLotze-Campen HCorbera EHarper RJHaberl HSmith PLauk CPortugal-Pereira JScheiffle LGarcia-Ulloa JOrlowsky BfalseBioenergy production and sustainable development: science base for policymaking remains limited.The possibility of using bioenergy as a climate change mitigation measure has sparked a discussion of whether and how bioenergy production contributes to sustainable development. We undertook a systematic review of the scientific literature to illuminate this relationship and found a limited scientific basis for policymaking. Our results indicate that knowledge on the sustainable development impacts of bioenergy production is concentrated in a few well-studied countries, focuses on environmental and economic impacts, and mostly relates to dedicated agricultural biomass plantations. The scope and methodological approaches in studies differ widely and only a small share of the studies sufficiently reports on context and/or baseline conditions, which makes it difficult to get a general unders2017-01-01T00:00:00Z2017 Mar2026-05-29T22:19:59.386Z2026-04-08T06:13:44.787ZS-EPMC53402812833155210.1111/gcbb.12338