Royal Society calls for biofuels emissions targets

14 January 2008 11:16  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--The Royal Society on Monday criticised the UK’s biofuels policy for promoting economic development and energy security over encouraging sustainable fuels to combat climate change.

 

The UK’s implementation of the EU Biofuels Directive, the renewable transport fuel obligation (RTFO), does not include emissions targets to encourage the use of greenhouse gas-saving biofuels, said the UK’s independent academy of science in a new report.

 

“Without a target we risk missing important opportunities to stimulate exciting innovations that will help us cut our spiralling transport emissions,” said the report’s author John Pickett.

 

“The greenhouse gas savings of each (biofuel) depends on how crops are grown and converted and how the fuel is used,” added Pickett. “So, indiscriminately increasing the amount of biofuels we are using may not automatically lead to the best reductions in emissions.”

 

The RTFO comes into force in April 2008, requiring fuel suppliers to ensure that 5% of all UK fuels sold are from a renewable source by 2010.

 

The Royal Society report called for biofuels to be assessed and certified for the greenhouse gas savings they will deliver, as well as the positive and negative social and environmental impacts.

 

“The UK is leading the way internationally by developing carbon and sustainability reporting for biofuels as part of the RTFO,” said Pickett.

 

“This information is crucial so we can identify and promote the fuels produced in a way that is good for people and the environment,” he added.

 

“We have a particular responsibility to do so since the UK will have to rely on crops grown elsewhere in the world to meet demand.”

 

The European Commission is rethinking draft rules on reaching the EU's target to boost biofuels amid strong criticism by campaign groups that the goal could lead to environmental damage and social dislocation.

The commission is due on 23 January to publish new legislation which comes after its decision in March 2007 that 10% of transport fuels should come from biofuels by 2020.

 

Bookmark Simon Robinson’s Big Biofuels Blog for some independent thinking on biofuels

 

By: Mark Watts
+44 20 8652 3214

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