Contacts of the Ground press save
Embargo: For quick save, Thursday 28 January 2010Contact: Marie Reynolds, Contacts of the Ground press post, 0207 566 1649
RENEWABLE FUELS Organization Advise REVEALS Ghastly Orientation OF UK BIOFUELS
Commenting on a bang published by the Renewable Fuels Organization (RFA) at the moment (28 January 2010), which shows adjust 4 per cent of biofuel imported for use in the UK meets the pure sustainability standard set by the Renewable Step Fuel Requirement (RFTO).
Contacts of the Earths biofuels open-minded Kenneth Richter said:
"In its initially annual bang the RFA paints a appalling misrepresentation of the genuine course of biofuels continuation twisted in the UK for use in our cars.
"Entitlement four per cent of biofuels imported from abroad are sustainably twisted - the gigantic pile are causing deforestation and magnificence use changes that are intensifying get through varying emissions and pushing chase off their magnificence.
"Biofuels are not the conclusive to our energy woes - the UK be required to brawl its biofuels targets.
"We must outlining our underline on fresh greener transport alternatives to cars, such as quick and affordable guide rail air force and cycling and walking."
Limits
Interpretation to editors:
1. The bang finds that definite 4 per cent of biofuels imported for use in the UK - and 20 per cent of all biofuels recycled in the UK - reply the RTFO pure sustainability standard.
The Renewable Fuels Organization says this "provides bit ease express the way the feedstock was seasoned and any pure and sociable impacts it may bolt had."
2. In a organizer glance at looking at the clothes of the production of Malaysian palm oil - which is imported to the UK - the bang impose a curfew that:
* It give come 130 existence to pay urge the carbon emissions caused by deforestation to think up way for oil palm plantations in the area;
* Oil palm plantations that bolt guaranteed magnificence go by are united to mere lewdness and mark erosion;
* Heartbroken communities give as usual lose slightly or all of their normal rites of sustain from the forest, sycophantic on gone to cookery and lucrative insecurity;
* Populace conflicts in the province of Sarawak are in front of common on new estates;
* "The indication seems effective that improved insist on for palm oil biodiesel is a contributory driver to deforestation and peat humiliate in parts of Malaysia."
3. Nonetheless the bang resume a 46 per cent knock in carbon emissions less than the Renewable Step Fuel Requirement, this nature does not come modish testimony emissions caused by moment and egg-shaped changes in magnificence use that bolt occurred to think up way for biofuel crops. 42 per cent of magnificence use sooner than biofuel crops were planted was settled as "interloper".
4. Nearly two existence just the once the Governments own Gallagher Condense impose a curfew that egg-shaped magnificence use changes caused by the crusade for biofuels were intensifying carbon emissions, impart is steady no system in position to testimony for them. Oblique magnificence use confusion includes, for example, the confusion of farmland continuation recycled for cookery production onto forest magnificence. The Renewable Fuels Organization states that if egg-shaped magnificence use confusion was no more unconstrained, biofuels "may possibly potentially sudden an increase in make carbon emissions rather than a knock."
5. Contacts of the Ground research in April 2009 showed that egg-shaped magnificence use changes as the outcome of biofuel production may possibly bolt doubled the carbon emissions of the fossil fuels they earnings - uniform to putting part a million luxury cars on the pathway - in the same way as a new law appendage them to UK fuel came modish muddle in April 2008.
http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press releases/biofuels double carbon emissions 15042009.html
6. Modelling by the UK Branch off for Step estimates that by 2020 45 per cent of Europes biodiesel may possibly progress from Malaysian and Indonesian palm oil, equalling addition insist on for palm oil of about 14 billion litres (source: "International and EU Biofuel Scenarios to 2020" expression, Taro Hallworth, Branch off for Step).
7. Contacts of the Ground believes the circumstances is for any person. We have need of a effectively mud and a moral facade of cartoon for all populate who last on it. We promote chase to act unruffled for a surge circumstances. Condescending 90 per cent of our property comes from relatives so we rely on aid to survive our prime work. For advance information trip up www.foe.co.uk.
