EU, Step Up
11 November 2016
Today’s Fossil of the Day goes to… the European Union for peddling biofuels! The EU has considerable economic and technological clout at its disposal to accelerate the just transition to 100% clean, renewable energy. Unfortunately, the EU is instead promoting biofuels in their SBSTA submission on agriculture.
The EU knows that biofuels are a false solution to climate change and do not provide the promised emissions reductions. The expansion of biofuels also drives illegal land-grabs, where small, family farmers are forced off their land, and increases food prices around the world.
Those most likely to be hurt by major biofuels expansions—poor farmers in developing countries—are also among the most vulnerable to climate change.
We can do better than replacing on extractive and exploitative fuel source with another. The EU needs to take a long, hard look at itself and commit to pursuing real change, not more false solutions.