Local and global consequences of the EU renewable directive for biofuels

Feb 2008

On the 23 January 2008, the European Commission released its climate and energy policy package, including European targets for greenhouse gas reductions and shares of renewables for all EU Member States in 2020 (EC, 2008a). This package contains proposals for Directives following initiatives by the European leaders in March 2007. At that time, the European Council agreed to put forward an ambitious climate and energy policy package, including targets for greenhouse gas emission reduction, energy savings and share of renewables in the total energy consumption (EU, 2007). This policy package is supposed to put the European Union’s ambitious targets to mitigate climate change into operation.
This report gives a first analysis of the proposal for the Renewable Energy Directive by the European Commission, focussing on biofuels in the transport sector and the sustainability criteria as proposed by the Commission. The full title of the EC’s proposal is ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources’ (EC, 2008a). The broader intention of the Directive is to set a binding target to increase the level of renewable energy in the EU energy mix to 20% by 2020. The European Commission acknowledges that an integrated approach to climate and energy policy is needed, given that energy production and use are primary sources for greenhouse gas emissions. However, climate change is not the only reason to stimulate renewables in the EU. As the European Commission states ‘the European Union’s increasing dependence on energy imports threatens its security of supply and implies higher prices. In contrast, boosting investment in energy efficiency, renewable energy and new technologies has wide-reaching benefits and contributes to the EU’s strategy for growth and jobs’. The targets for renewables within the EU27 should be considered in this broader setting.
This analysis encompasses a first reaction to the proposed sustainability criteria and addresses a number of sustainability aspects, ranging from greenhouse gas reductions and biodiversity concerns to other aspects like food security. These aspects are an issue at a local level in the production chain but also at a national and even global level. The conclusions on biofuels in the transport sector are not necessarily applicable to other uses of bioenergy in the electricity and heating and cooling sectors.
Chapter 2 gives a summary of the proposal by the European Commission. A general discussion on sustainability criteria is summarised in chapter 3. In chapter 4, the discussion focuses on the global impacts of the 10%-target. Thereafter, three sections are addressing the following sustainability concerns: greenhouse gas reductions, biodiversity, and food security. In chapter 8, the report concludes with considerations for improving the scope of the current proposal by the European Commission.

By: B. Eickhout, G.J. van den Born, J. Notenboom, M. van Oorschot, J.P.M. Ros, D.P.

 
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