GLOBE legislators refine biofuel proposals for G8 Summit

A group of legislators from G8 countries and major emerging economies have given themselves until the end of June to refine their recommendations on biofuels, which include sustainability criteria and measures to stimulate research and trade.

GLOBE International, a partnership of parliamentarians from G8 +5 countries that holds discussions in parallel to international negotiations on climate change and environmental issues, drew up draft recommendations on biofuels at a meeting in Brazil in February where GBEP was invited to deliver a speech. The paper will now be updated at the GLOBE Tokyo forum, to be held on 28-29 June, in order to be submitted to the Hokkaido Toyako G8 Summit in Japan on 7-9 July.
GLOBE (Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment) stated on its website that its Brasilia Legislators Forum recognised Brazil’s leadership in developing biofuels, adding that the Latin American nation’s experience can be of great value to other countries.

“Globally, biofuels and biomass could play an important role both in agriculture and energy, and contribute to national energy security,” the legislators declared following the Brasilia meeting. “In order for biofuels to play an important role in the reduction of greenhouse gases, they will have to be produced in both an economically efficient manner and in a way that does not undermine sustainable development.”

The legislators drew up a list of eight recommendations, supported by their proposed sustainability criteria. They called for credible and independent certification schemes to ensure sustainable biofuel production and said greenhouse gas savings over the life cycle of each biofuel should be “significant”, when compared with fossil fuels, to ensure cost-effective carbon abatement and to stimulate adoption of best practice in biofuel production.

They also want bioenergy’s impact on food prices and land use change to be monitored; land and water resources to be valued in economic terms to ensure a “level” playing field; tariffs on biofuels to be reviewed, with a view to encouraging countries that have a comparative advantage in the production of biofuels; and more help to be provided to developing countries to capture biofuel’s potential in stimulating economic progress.

Finally, the group of legislators said there should be more investment in research and development, for example on the quality of feedstocks and more efficient conversion processes.

Addressing the forum, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defended biofuels as an alternative energy source that combines climate change mitigation with poverty alleviation. "Agro-energy offers a historic opportunity… to improve the distribution of global wealth", he said. But it is "a revolution that will only take place if rich countries open their markets, reducing their farm subsidies."

Download GLOBE International’s draft document

 

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