EU Governments’ Agreement Allows Biofuels Debate to Progress
European governments today gave the green light to a political deal to amend the EU’s biofuels policy. The compromise by ambassadors, which must now be signed off by energy ministers, caps the use of food-based biofuels that are eligible to count towards carbon reduction targets [1] to 7% of transport fuel – higher than the original 5% cap as proposed by the Commission in 2012, and not much below the 8.6% expected under the original 2020 target [2].
The deal also further waters down the reporting of emissions from indirect land-use change (ILUC) [3]. By not mandating the full accounting of ILUC emissions, biofuels that emit more CO2 than conventional diesel or petrol can still count towards meeting the 7% target.
It also requires member states to set a sub-target for advanced biofuels, with 0.5% as a so-called ‘reference value’. However, countries can also set a lower target if they can explain why.
Reacting to the decision, T&E’s clean fuels officer, Pietro Caloprisco, said: “This is a weak deal that fails to address the issue at hand – emissions from indirect land-use change. But at least it is one small step in the right direction; better than nothing. Governments should rubberstamp it so that negotiations with the new Parliament can begin.”
Without reform, the penetration of biofuels will reach 8.6% of transport fuel by 2020, according to the National Renewable Energy Action Plans. This will be largely achieved with biofuels that are causing ILUC.
Now, energy ministers must sign-off on the agreement brokered by the Greek Presidency of the EU so that second-reading negotiations with the new Parliament can start in earnest and conclude by the end of this year.
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