BIOFUELS: EC doesn't meet the problem

On 10 June, the EC issued its Communication on sustainability criteria for agrofuels

(http://eur-lex.europa.eu/JOHtml.do?uri=OJ%3AC%3A2010%3A160%3ASOM%3AEN%3AHTML)

Three comments:

1. Positive: plantations of palm oil are not recognized as "continuously forested areas." The industry lobby responded by publishing studies of negative impacts on the poor that anti palm oil campaigns should have brought about.
2. Negative: The factor of indirect land use change (ILUC) is not taken into account. The methodology for calculating the carbon emissions of biofuels throughout their life cycle is described as "imperfect and incomplete" by the Greens and several environmental NGOs.
3. Negative: the units of biofuel production installations in operations on 23 January 2008 are exempted of GHG emission threshold.

Reminder: On March 8, a coalition of environmental organizations had sued the EC for failing to disclose several studies on the impact of ILUC. The case was handled by the General Court of the EU, second highest court of appeal in EU (formerly known as the Court of First Instance). The Commission must respond by July 4. (http://www.transportenvironment.org )