European politicians have angered green campaigners after voting through a lower than expected cap than expected on biofuels this afternoon.
The narrow vote in Strasbourg saw MEPs support a cap of 6% on the continent’s target of sourcing 10% of transport fuel from renewable sources, along with a restriction in indirect land use change (ILUC)
MEPs backed the cap by 356 votes to 327, but it now faces a second reading in parliament to iron out negotiations among the EU governments over the next few months.
However, green campaigners have criticised the decision, while the biofuels industry said the decision sent out mixed signals after falling short of the 8% figure it was looking for.
“MEPs have missed a historic opportunity fix a biofuel policy that has led to soaring food prices, deforestation and an increase in climate-changing emissions,” said Friends of the Earth biofuels campaigner Kenneth Richter.
“Instead the European Parliament has opted for a desperately weak compromise that will fail to curb the grave social and environmental impacts caused by the EU’s biofuel target.
“The UK Government must keep its promise and push for proper reform of EU biofuel rules.”
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Oxfam’s biofuels expert Marc Olivier Herman said the vote had avoided the worst case scenario, the outcome was still disappointing.
“This anaemic compromise means entirely preventable hunger and environmental devastation will continue. A cap on biofuels of 6 per cent is far above current levels of consumption,” he said.
“Today’s vote also introduces a new 7.5% binding target for the share of bioethanol in petrol; this would mean that by 2020 Europeans will have to buy 2.5 times more grain based biofuels than they currently do.
“In their efforts to appease the biofuels industry and agricultural lobbyists, MEPs have failed in their duty to represent the best interests of their electorate and the one in eight people going to bed hungry each night.”
The new limit is higher than the 5.5% restriction proposed by the environment committee of the Parliament earlier this summer, and the 5% limit proposed by the European Commission last year.
The Parliament also said a second generation of advanced biofuels from non-food sources such as farm and industry waste should account for at least 2.5% of energy for road and rail transport in 2020.
Industry body the Renewables Energy Association said the vote had sent out mixed signals after approving the 6% cap yet allowing the advanced biofuels amendment.
“Future investments are likely to remain on hold following today’s voting in Strasbourg, which introduces a whole new level of procedural complexity into the ILUC policy situation.” said REA head of transport Clare Wenner.
“The 6% overall cap is too tight and the REA continues to oppose the introduction of ILUC factors until there is convincing scientific evidence that biofuels should be singled out in this way. There are some bright spots, though, such as the separate target for advanced biofuels and the continuation of double counting for biofuels made from used cooking oil.
“Today’s vote puts a particular responsibility on the European Member States in the Council, including our own government, to reach conclusions that will allow the UK biofuels industry to move forward with confidence.”