Agrofuels and oil palm plantations

The promotion of agrofuels as a form of renewable energy is proving to be one of the European Union’s biggest policy mistakes.

EU agrofuels policies are aggravating climate change. They have become a key driver of forest and biodiversity loss, land-grabs and conflicts, and human rights abuses in producer countries such as Indonesia. Increasingly, agricultural land needed to produce food is being reallocated to grow crops for agrofuels to fuel cars rather than to feed hungry people. [more]

Ministers turn a blind eye to biofuels' devastating impacts

DTE update, 12th December, 2013

DTE Call for action on agrofuels, December 2013

We have between now and 12th December 2013 to urge the EU Governments to put forward a strong proposal on how to fix the failing biofuels policy.

If you live in the EU, please help us to support the calls from Indonesia by contacting your Energy Ministers and Prime Ministers/Presidents, by email, phone, letter or Twitter asking them to:

MEPs vote for too-high 6% cap on agrofuels

DTE, September 12, 2013

"The people of Indonesia will be disappointed to hear that the European parliament has failed to agree any meaningful action to reduce Europe's demand for palm oil, which is driving deforestation and conflict in our country."

Nur Hidayati, WALHI/Friends of the Earth Indonesia, quoted in the Guardian, September 11th

DTE Agrofuels Update April 2013, Part II

According to an Opinion issued by a panel of 19 top European scientists, existing targets for agrofuels and other forms of bioenergy are based on “flawed” carbon accounting and the “potential consequences …are immense”.[1]

Commission admits doubts over agrofuels green credentials - but delays further action

At the close of business, 2010, the European Commission formally acknowledged that Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions savings of agrofuels and bioliquids – but delayed further action until June 2011.

DTE Update, May 2010

In Indonesia, oil palm plantations are associated with poverty, human rights abuses, the takeover of indigenous territory, forest and peatland destruction, biodiversity collapse and high levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Plantation expansion is being driven partly by the rising demand for agrofuels from the EU and other countries.

This update provides information on what is happening at the European end of the agrofuels story.