Includes glossary

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Can we solve the agro-biofuel riddle? -- Learning from the past -- Not everything that burns is a fuel -- Pattern of societal metabolism across levels: a crash course in bio-economics -- Assessment of the quality of alternative energy sources -- Neglect of available wisdom -- Reality check on the feasibility and desirability of agro-biofuels -- Agro-biofuel production is not good for rural development -- Living in denial -- Where do we go from here? -- Appendices.