Fudging climate justice EU and UK legislation for

Fudging climate justice: EU and UK legislation for Agro-biofuels and the emerging campaign to stop biofuel targets Biofuelwatch www. biofuelwatch. org. uk introduced by Dr Andrew Boswell, biofuelwatch and UK Green Party councillor on Norfolk County Council March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

Summary • Climate Change / Agrofuels background • EU and UK legislation • Certification and sustainability criteria • Legislation/policy needed - Demand reduction is key • Join the Campaign! March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

US / EU Biofuel Policy – going off the graph EU – 10% by 2020 (1% now) US – 20% by 2020 (4% now) 2010 March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation 2020

Mega-scale Agrofuel drivers • Government and corporate subsidy and promotion • Fits “Business as usual” policies and paradigms – Year-on-year economic growth – Avoid unpopular “demand reduction” politics • Short term “energy security” fix • New global mega-industry and infrastructure – agribusiness, biotech, and chemical sectors – car manufacturers avoid more efficient vehicles – refining, tankage and shipping sectors – commodity markets (eg Palm Oil, sugar, corn) March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

Agrofuel issues • Greenhouse gas (GHG) balances Land Use Change (LUC), N 2 O, CO 2 • Environmental impacts: Deforestation, loss of habitats / biodiversity, water depletion, soil erosion, chemicals • Social impacts: Poverty, land grabbing, land conflicts, human rights, labour, food security and sovereignty March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

Agriculture/Land Use already 30 -40% of global GHGs • Deforestation, agriculture and peat Emission Trickery From Stern Exporting emissions from Northern transport to Southern agriculture and land use Report March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

Agrofuel LUC will create further massive emissions • A one-off GHG hit that takes many years to repay ‘Converting rainforests, peatlands, savannas, or grasslands to produce food-based biofuels in Brazil, Southeast Asia, and the United States ‘biofuel carbon debt’ creates a by releasing 17 to 840 times more CO 2 than the annual greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions these biofuels provide by displacing fossil fuels. ’ • Fargione et al, Science, February 2008 • Peatland rainforest -> Palm Oil: 840 years to repay • But Palm Oil plantations only 25 years lifetime March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

N 20 needs further study • microbes convert N fertiliser to N 2 O • Underestimated (IPCC) - Crutzen • oilseed rape biodiesel, for example, is up to 70% worse for the climate than fossil fuel diesel (also corn ethanol) • UK and EU Biofuels GHG calculations in scientific doubt • Nitrogen pollution – Baltic, Gulf of Mexico March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

Food vs Fuel UN FAO, September 2007 • “Developing countries face serious social unrest as they struggle to cope with soaring food prices” UN FAO, February 2008 • “We will have a significant gap … in food aid… , and we will need an extra half billion dollars just to meet existing assessed needs. " March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

Food vs Fuel Low-Income Food. Deficit countries (LIFDCs) : : Social unrest / food riots 16 million starve per 1% commodity price Fudging climate justice : rise March 2008 EU and UK biofuels legislation

Urgent Issues EU/UK Wheat Ethanol Surge EU Focus has been on biodiesel March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

Hundreds of NGOs in Latin America, Asia and Africa have spoken out against large-scale agrofuels. March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

Impacts on People • Land violations / violence – Indonesia human rights disaster (Fo. E) • 7. 3 million hectares Palm plantations • 513 ongoing conflicts – Colombia • Land grabbing – Governments allow companies to get around laws – Some 2 billion hectares of Southern land up for recolonisation – Driven by Jatropha rush (India, Africa) March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

Impacts on People • Human rights – Pesticide use (especially with GM Soya varieties etc) – Deforestation causing health problems – Paramilitaries in Indonesia and Colombia – Violent evictions and murders • Displaced peoples – UN warns up 60 million biofuel refugees – Displaced to less than subsistence rural existence, or to the urban poor in mega cities March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

Moratorium calls • George Monbiot, April 2007, Guardian • Southern and Northern NGOs (over 150), July 2007 – No EU Imports, Large scale mono cultures • Jean Ziegler, UN, October 2007 – Food crisis : ‘crime against humanity’ • African NGOs (30), November 2007 – No global targets, no more African dev. • UK MPs – Environmental Audit Committee – Suspend EU/UK targets March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

UK Legislation RTFO (1) Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) • Replacing fuel duty incentives – 20 p/litre • 2005 consultation (of who? ), feasibility study etc. – Driven by EU 5. 75% by 2010 and 10% by 2020 targets – UK level 5% by 2010 • Requires suppliers to sell a proportion of biofuel – Gain certificates; or – Purchase certificates from another company; or – Pay a buy-out price March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

UK Legislation RTFO (2) October 2007 – Commons delegated committee • 2. 5% (2008/9), 3. 75% (2009/10), 5% (2010/11) • No sustainability criteria until 2011 • Westminster disquiet – For : 10 (LAB –whipped? ) – Against/Abstain : 5 (CON) and 2 (Lib. Dem) – Annual review October 2008 March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

UK Legislation RTFO (3) Carbon savings revised • 9 October 2007 – 3. 6 m. T CO 2 -> 2. 6 to 3 m. T (2010/11) • Jan 2008 : Final figures different to consultation • Feb 2008 : Science Paper – ‘Land use change causes massive carbon debt’ • Ruth Kelly orders review PANIC! March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

EU Legislation (1) • Renewables Directive – 20% renewables by 2020 – 10% by volume biofuels by 2020 (Biofuels Directive (BFD)) • Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) – could force up to 26 -28% BFs March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

EU Legislation (2) • Sustainability Criteria • GHG calculator – Where do they go? – In BF Directive? – In FQ Directive? – In both? – Variants in each? March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

Sustainability criteria (1) • Direct and indirect environmental impacts: Deforestation, loss of habitats / biodiversity, water depletion, soil erosion, chemicals • Direct and indirect social impacts: Poverty, land conflicts, human rights, labour, food security and sovereignty • Start times – UK RTFO writes off peat land converted before 2005 – EU : No GHG target until 2013 for plantations before 2008 March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

Sustainability criteria (2) • Driven by interests of industry and government • Displacement / leakage not handled – Existing agriculture displaced by agrofuels moves into new areas • Macro impacts through commodity price shifts not handled – Amazon deforestation ←→ soy price • US Corn for ethanol displaces US soy => soy price – EU oilseed rape use causes palm oil prices causes palm oil expansion March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

GHG Calculators • Largely look at processing side not agriculture side • Weighted to favour industry – Default values often weighted in favour of poor GHG biofuels • Direct and In-direct land use change (LUC) not understood or covered • Ditto N 2 O March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

UK Government figures NOW in complete scientific doubt • From Low. CVP presentation to UK Bioenergy conference Sept 2007 Corn Ethanol -50% March 2008 LUC Oil Seed rape biodiesel -70% Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

Legislation/Policy for demand reduction • Strict/robust vehicle efficiency • Public transport investment – Modal shift • Sustainable planning – Reduce journeys • Big investment into True renewables – Electric vehicles • Needs political will/courage March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

Descending the transport emissions curve - Demand reduction is key 160 Reduce vehicle emissions by 50% Current EU energy policy - smaller, more efficient vehicles 140 120 100 90% journeys – planning, modal shift, Reduce carbon emission 80 60 decouple needed reduction transport URGENTLY! from economy Reduce liquid fuel – plug-in hybrids 40 Change Supply - Concentrating Solar Power ? 20 March 2008 1990 2000 2010 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation 2020

Biofuels Campaigning Issue cuts across many areas, tipping points and critical thresholds • Climate tipping point – Deforestation, climate feedbacks • Food security tipping point • Land rights critical threshold – Whose land is it anyway? – Food > Feed > Fuel – What about land for carbon sinking? • Ecological vs industrial agriculture critical thresholds? – monocultures, corporate supply chains, pricing, GMOs March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

UK Parliamentary Lobbying • RTFO - Westminster disquiet / Ripe A UK biofuel U-turn would send strong message to EU • Campaign to MPs – lobbying, letters, email Ü Ü Ü RTFO targets suspended or scrapped UK Block of EU Fuel Quality Directive UK input into post-2010 EU policy Ideas / Help? March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

EU Parliamentary Lobby • Renewables (inc. Biofuels) Directive • Fuel Quality Directive – Sustainability Criteria / GHG calculations O Complex power structures - Commission, Council, State Ministers, MEPs, Civil Servants @Campaign to MEPs, Commissioners – lobbying, letters – penetrate deeper into political structure Ü EU targets revised, frozen or scrapped March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

Consumers / Supporters / Voters @ RTFO vs. demand reduction awareness, climate change bill Ü Build a mainstream ‘I don’t buy biofuel and I am cutting my fossil fuel use’ consciousness Fair trade / Corporate Respon -sibility Ecological and Social Justice Cleaner Vehicles and Transport Deep cuts in GHGs March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

JOIN THE BLESSED UNREST March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

BLESSED UNREST • April Biofool’s Day Protests against Gordon Brown on Biofuels • Tuesday April 15 th – Downing Street, 6. 00 pm • And around UK March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation

CONTACTS • Sign up to the biofuelwatch yahoo group - send a blank email to biofuelwatchsubscribe@yahoogroups. com • www. biofuelwatch. org. uk • info@biofuelwatch. org. uk • Please sign up the list circulating March 2008 Fudging climate justice : EU and UK biofuels legislation