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New Focali brief about biofuel production and indirect effects of land-use change

Foto: Klaus Schenck

New Focali brief about biofuel production and indirect effects of land-use change

This Focali brief is based on a written response, made by the brief authors, to the Swedish Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications. This due to a consultation process opened by the ministry about the proposed changes in renewable energy directives presented by the European Commission.

The authors of the brief, Christel Cederberg, Madelene Ostwald and Martin Persson, argue that biofuel production can lead to indirect effects. In addition to the risk of increased direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions from land use change and “Indirect Land Use Change” (ILUC) they write about the risk for negative implications on poverty, food-security and biodiversity. Furthermore with higher profitability of cultivated crops intensified land-use, e.g. through increased use of pesticides and fertilizers, is to be expected which similarly to some other indirect effects raise sustainability concerns. The brief authors provide recommendations on how both positive and negative implications of land-use change and increased demand for biomass can be better accounted for. 
 
The brief is based on a response to the Swedish Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications, written in February 2013 by the brief authors. The ministry opened a consultation on the topic due to the proposed changes in renewable energy directives presented by the European Commission in October 2012. 
 
The Brief (written in Swedish) can be downloaded here. 
 
This press release from the European commission summarizes the proposed changes: European Commission MEMO/12/787 (17 oktober 2012) Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) 
 
Read the entire European Commission proposal here: 
European Commission COM(2012) 595, Proposal for a Directive amending Directive 98/70/EC relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Council Directive 93/12/EC and amending Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources 

 

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