The European Federation for Transport & Environment (T&E) is challenging the EU to follow the lead of California, which recently approved the world’s first law taking into account the indirect changes in land use caused by the production of biofuels.

California’s “Low Carbon Fuel Standard” (LCFS) promotes fuels based on their ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. US President Barack Obama has said he wants to extend such a standard across the country. Putting in place such a system would make high-carbon fuel extraction, such as oil from tar sands, less economically viable.

The EU’s directive on fuel quality also sets greenhouse gas reduction targets for fuels, but leaves out the indirect impact of biofuel-related land use. As a result, critics say, the rule ignores indirect emissions that can make some biofuels no better — or even worse — than petrol and diesel.

“‘There is increasing and overwhelming scientific evidence showing the impact that increased demand for agricultural crops is having on climate change,’ said Nusa Urbancic, T&E policy officer. ‘Scientists and institutions the world over have warned that much existing biofuel production has caused land elsewhere to be converted for food. Land such as forests, when converted for food crops leads to huge emissions of stored-up carbon.’

Urbancic added, ‘The California law, uniquely, accounts for these indirect emissions, and is therefore an important step forward. The Californian approach may not be perfect, but it can be improved as the science evolves. What is clear is that some biofuels cause more greenhouse gas emissions than they save, which means the EU should catch-up with California and revise its directive.’

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