The EU Commission has presented a proposal designed to encourage
biofuel that contributes to “major reductions in emissions” and that
does not compete with food production. Only 5 percent of biofuel based
on food crops will be permitted to be included in the climate targets
for the transport sector up to 2020, the Commission proposes.
Gustav Melin, CEO at the Swedish Bioenergy Association, Svebio, tells
the Nordic Paper Journal that the proposal will not lead to emission
reductions. Quite the contrary!
“It rests on poor foundations and would sharply reduce the development
of biofuels, thereby leading to higher consumption of gasoline and
diesel.”
However, the aim of the proposal is to stimulate the development of biofuel from non-food crops?
“In the spring, the EU Agricultural Directive made a proposal
concerning 7 percent “green” fallow in an effort to favor environmental
measures on arable land. One of the reasons for the proposal is that we
have too much land devoted to meeting current food requirements. In
other words, it is erroneous to claim that cultivation for bio-energy
purposes leads to food shortages.
“We grow the food that somebody wishes to buy. Unfortunately, those
who are starving have no money to cover their demand for food. In other
words, there’s no problem in growing more food to meet a greater demand
for food,” adds Gustaf.
“If biofuel is to assist us in our efforts to counter climate change,
we must use biofuel that really is sustainable long-term. We must
invest in biofuel that really reduces emissions and does not compete
with food. Needless to say, this does not entail a stop for the first
biofuel generation, but we want to send a clear signal that future
biofuel must be advanced biofuel. Anything else is unsustainable,”
comments the Climate Commissioner.
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