The subject of biofuels has become an important policy keyword in the minds of many government decision makers, because of its energy and environment implications. However, it has also become a "burning issue" in the light of contrasting viewpoints in favor or against the adoption of a national biofuel policy, as expressed in many publications. Consequently, "it has become increasingly difficult for decision-makers to identify the key messages on which to build their decisions". To assist governments and industry sectors in making "sustainable choices in an area that over the past few years has become deeply divided while triggering sharply polarized views", the International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management (IPSRM) of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) recently released its first assessment report, "Towards Sustainable Production and Use of Resources: Assessing Biofuels". According to UNEP Executive Director and Panel host,  Achim Steiner, "Biofuels are neither a panacea nor a pariah, but like all other technologies, they represent both opportunities and challenges". The focus of this first report is on the "first generation biofuels, due to availability of state-of-the art reviews, but also considers further lines of development". Among the highlights of the report are: (1) not all biofuels perform equally well in terms of their impact on climate, energy security, and on ecosystems; environmental and social impacts need to be assessed throughout the entire life-cycle, (2) land conversion for biofuel crops can lead to negative environmental impacts including implications such as reduced biodiversity and increased GHG emissions, (3) water is another limiting factor, both in terms of quality and quantity. The full report can be accessed at the UNEP website (URL above)..