EU conducts environmental analysis into biofuels

The European Commission has gone through a process of environmental analysis in order to ascertain whether seven voluntary schemes are suitable for the production of sustainable biofuels.

Overall, the EU has set itself a target of having ten per cent of the transport sector across the continent running on more economical fuel by 2020.

Although it is keen for countries to become less reliant on fossil fuels, it stated that biofuels must not become widespread at the expense of forests, woodland and other green areas.

The seven initiatives - which are all aimed at achieving sustainability in the biofuel field - were approved after a number of improvements were made to each.

Commissioner for energy Gunther Oettinger said: "We need to make sure that the entire biofuels production and supply chain is sustainable. This is why we have set the highest sustainability standards in the world."

Despite pressure from environmentalist groups, MEPs recently narrowly voted against increasing the EU's emissions reduction targets for 2020.

Posted by Claire Manning