Loading ...UK Biofuels Fail to Meet Minimal Environmental Standards
At a time when fuel prices are rocketing and consumers become more environmentally aware steps have been taken to try to introduce more biofuels into the UK transport system.In April 2008 the government, through the Renewable Fuels Agency, introduced the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) intended to phase in increased biofuel usage in the British transport system.
The Renewable Fuels Agency has just released their first monthly report resulting in scathing attacks by environmental groups and shadow cabinet members.
The report shows that only 19%, less than a fifth, of biofuels supplied in UK met minimal environemental standards, with only 57% having known origins (country of origin, crop used and whether the crop was grown in a sustainable way).
This is a market dominated by imports meaning strict controls should be in place to ensure the fuels origins are known in order to calculate and monitor environmental effects through deforestation, pollution, water contamination and loss of wildlife.
Asad Rehman, Friends of the Earth’s biofuels campaigner, said: “The shocking admission that we are unable to identify the origin of nearly half the biofuels used in the UK means that the Government cannot assure the British people that the biofuels in their petrol tanks have not destroyed rainforests.”
“That less than a fifth of the biofuels used fail to meet even minimal environmental standards adds further weight to Friends of the Earth’s view that they are a phoney solution to climate change.”
The RSPB’s Dr Sue Armstrong Brown said the report showed the UK’s biofuels policy, had become “a shambles”.
“Here is yet more proof, direct from a UK government body, that voluntary environmental and social standards just aren’t working.
“These standards must be strengthened and made compulsory before targets are raised any further.
“The industry has been allowed to answer ‘I don’t know’ to many sustainability questions. That isn’t good enough and could mean habitat destruction, and the massive release of greenhouse gases, is going on unreported and undetected.”
Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said: “This report confirms what we have said all along - that the Government has not provided adequate sustainability requirements for the RTFO.
“As over 80% of biofuels do not meet current scant environmental criteria, who knows what sort of damage the Government’s irresponsible policy is wreaking on the environment.”
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