World leaders to meet for Brussels biofuels talks

Among the contributors to the International Conference on Biofuels in Brussels will be European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso, the presidents of Brazil and Portugal, several European commissioners and ministers from across the EU and all over the world. 

The European Commission said the two-day meeting which will begin on Thursday would address five key issues - including policies to support biofuels, development of international trade in biofuels, environmental risks and benefits, biofuels in developing countries and research activities.

“Properly managed, biofuels have the potential to offer important benefits – they can help to reinforce energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Barroso.

“We need to develop an EU biofuels policy which will meet our objectives of enhancing security of supply and tackling climate change, while ensuring sustainable development,” he added.

The transport sector produces nearly a third of carbon emissions in the EU and largely depends on imported oil, which is set to become more expensive as reserves become depleted, the EC said in a statement.

The new EU energy policy adopted in March encourages the production and use of biofuels, to replace petrol and diesel, through setting a 10% minimum target for biofuel market share by 2020.

The EU produced 3.9m tonnes of biofuels in 2005, an increase of 60% compared with 2004, said the EC.

In attending the Brussels discussions, Brazil’s president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, will represent the world’s largest biofuels producer.

With 13m tonnes of bioethanol output in 2005, the South American country produced three-times more biofuels than the EU and almost half the world’s total bioethanol production.

“We need to work towards a credible and sustainable international market and convergence in biofuel standards,” said external relations and European neighbourhood policy commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

“This can only be achieved by a transparent and frank dialogue with all partners – and this conference is a first step,” added Waldner.

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