Oxfam criticises new UK biofuels blending quota

14 April 2008 15:56  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--The UK’s renewable transport fuel obligation (RTFO), where forecourts will have to sell gasoline and diesel containing biofuels, will put the environment and millions of people at risk, charity group Oxfam said on Monday.

 

From 15 April, all petrol sold in the UK will include at least 2.5% biofuel content, rising to 5% by 2010.

 

Oxfam claimed up to 60m people in poor countries were being driven off their land to make way for biofuels crop plantations, and voiced concerns about the contribution of biofuels to global food price inflation.

 

It called for the UK to stop the "misguided" policy until a thorough investigation into the impact of biofuels had been carried out and enforceable standards put in place.

 

The UK government expects the 2010 implementation of the RFTO to cut annual carbon emissions in the domestic transport sector by 2-3%.

 

All existing vehicles are able to run on a 5% blend.

 

A survey released by environmental group Friends of the Earth showed that 89% of the UK public were unaware of the RTFO, while 78% thought the government should tackle vehicle emissions by improving public transport or making vehicles more fuel-efficient.

 

Earlier the European Commission said it saw “no significant impact” on basic food costs within the EU from the decision to set the goal of increasing biofuel use to 20% of total fuels 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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