Tag: ethanol

The bioethanol industry should stop defending wasteful public subsidies and join forces with NGOs to fight for the full carbon accounting which it says would vindicate its environmental record, argues Jos Dings.

On 11th July, the Environment Committee of the European Parliament voted in favour of accounting for scientifically proven ‘indirect emissions’ (known as ILUC) from European biofuels. This type of accounting is the best available option to reduce negative climate impacts from biofuels, says Chris Malins.

The European Parliament wants to reinforce the principle of discrimination in the EU’s draft biofuels directive, setting Europe on a collision course with its obligations in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), writes Fredrik Erixon.

Europe risks losing out to the United States in the growing market for advanced biofuels without better regulation and clear policy signals, say leading members of the industry.

European biofuel mandates are unlikely to deliver a significant reduction and could even increase greenhouse gas emissions unless land use factors are considered, says a study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).

In a bid to reduce its dependency on imported oil and tackle global warming, the EU has committed to raising the share of fuels from renewable sources in transport to 10% by 2020. Concerned with warnings that increased agrifuel production could in fact lead to mass deforestation and food shortages, the EU also agreed a set of sustainability criteria for biofuels.