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UPDATED 1 Sept: The EI library in London is temporarily closed to the public, as a precautionary measure in light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation. The Knowledge Service will still be answering email queries via email , or via live chats during working hours (09:15-17:00 GMT). Our e-library is always open for members here: eLibrary , for full-text access to over 200 e-books and millions of articles. Thank you for your patience.
EU biofuel policy uncertainty continues
The European Council failed to reach a political agreement late last year on how to account for indirect land use change (ILUC) factors in biofuels policy, as well as how to limit the impact of using food-based crops for fuel.
ILUC, where indirect results of crops being used to make biofuels – such as emissions from the displacement of other land-using industries – are taken into account, is a complicated area. As a result of the lack of a clear decision at a European level, EU member states are stalling on clarifying their own biofuel policies. The UK, for example, has stated that it will wait for certainty on ILUC before setting a trajectory for a 2020 target for biofuels in transport.
The UK Renewable Energy Association Chief Executive Dr Nina Skorupska said: ‘The failure of EU policymakers to reach agreement means that the ILUC saga will not be closed before the European elections in May [this] year. It is anyone’s guess at this stage how many more months, or years, the ILUC uncertainty will continue.’
EU Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger said the delay would damage the EU in its efforts to reduce dependence on imported oil and gas and curb greenhouse gas emissions, reported European news organisation Euractiv. In the absence of evidence, the debate is around what level to set the 2020 biofuel target at, following a suggestion from the European Commission in 2012 last year to cap the target at 5%.
A 7% cap was debated, with member states divided on whether it was too low or too high. Food companies argued for a lower cap to reduce the impact of ‘food for fuel’. Others argued for a sub-target for ‘new generation’ biofuels from algae or waste. There was failure to reach an agreement on both points.
