Govt's biofuel targets 'wrong'

The use of biofuels needs to be reassessed, committee says

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Monday, 21, Jan 2008 02:20

The government has come under fire today for pursuing targets to increase the use of biofuels by the Commons environmental audit committee (EAC).

A highly critical report from the committee says biofuel targets should be suspended and calls on the government to instead pursue the use of sustainable biofuels such as waste vegetable oil and the development of more efficient biofuel technologies.

The group of MPs said biofuels should be developed only if sustainability standards and mechanisms to prevent damaging land use change are in place.

Without these measures the committee claims some biofuels could lead to environmental damage in the UK and the destruction of environmentally crucial rainforests.

It also says that other options are available to cut greenhouse gas emissions that are cheaper and more effective than biofuels.

Other conclusions include the belief that biofuels are unlikely to improve fuel security and current agricultural support for biofuels is largely unsustainable.

The committee concludes that a large biofuel industry based on current technology is likely to increase food prices and could damage food security in developing countries.

"Biofuels can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from road transport - but at present most biofuels have a detrimental impact on the environment overall," said EAC chairman Tim Yeo.

"The government must ensure that its biofuels policy balances greenhouse gas emission cuts with wider environmental impacts, so that biofuels are only used where they contribute to sustainable emissions reductions."

Professor Dianna Bowles of the Royal Society commented: "Biofuels could play an immediate and important role in cutting our spiralling emissions from transport.

"But there are many different types of biofuels and it's key that the ones we use provide the best greenhouse gas savings and are produced in ways that are good for people and the environment."