Press Release: New Commission proposal to minimise the climate impacts of biofuel production

The Commission published a proposal to limit global land conversion for biofuel production, and raise the climate benefits of biofuels used in the EU. The use of food-based biofuels to meet the 10% renewable energy target of the Renewable Energy Directive will be limited to 5%.

This is to stimulate the development of alternative, so-called second generation biofuels from non-food feedstock, like waste or straw, which emit substantially less greenhouse gases than fossil fuels and do not directly interfere with global food production. For the first time, the estimated global land conversion impacts – Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) – will be considered when assessing the greenhouse gas performance of biofuels.

European Commission: Memo/12/789: Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-12-787_en.htm

EurActiv, 17.04.13: Study: Biofuels took a €10 billion ‘Cyprus bailout’ in 2011 http://www.euractiv.com/energy/study-biofuels-took-10-cyprus-ba-news-519165

EurActiv, 19.11.12: EU calls time on first-generation biofuels http://www.euractiv.com/climate-environment/eu-signals-generation-biofuels-news-515496

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