Thesis

The Bolivian Biogas Development Proposal

BBDP was submitted as my thesis for M.S. in Global Affairs from NYU’s Center for Global Affairs in the spring of 2016. BBDP recommends the German-led development of Bolivian biogas resources as a greenhouse gas emissions reduction mechanism for both nations. It also agrees with several post-development claims made by anthropologist Arturo Escobar in his seminal book Encountering Development: The Making and Unmaking of the Third World, (1995) but disagrees with many assertions made regarding the positive impact of sustainable development practices on culture, environmental remediation, and human health through the de-growth discourse.

In light of the German government’s decision to shutter its nuclear energy program by 2022 and its inevitable contribution to a one-time increase in national GHG emissions, coupled with Bolivia’s recent increases in GDP and natural gas consumption and exports, BBDP provides a path the for the funding of renewable natural gas utilization technologies in the South American nation. Beginning at the El Ceibo Chocolate cooperative in El Alto, BBDP seeks to incorporate agricultural, commercial, and industrial wastes throughout the nation to provide fuel for electrical generation and transportation.

You can view BBDP and its executive summary at Academia.edu and ReasearchGate or you can download the .pdf files here:

DOI #10.13140/RG.2.2.13722.64966

*Any and all assumptions made in BBDP are offered solely by the author as a subject expert and are the result of in-depth research coupled with thoughtful opinions in regards to the topics discussed.