Biofuels

Developing biofuels that can be grown and produced sustainably as part of a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will be a challenge to biologists, farmers, policy makers and many others.

The parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee advised in January 2008 that the EU should abandon its current biofuel targets, until biofuels can be produced sustainably, because they are damaging the environment, increasing food prices and threatening food supplies for the poor.

The Committee says the UK government and the EU have been "misguided" in prioritising biofuel for road transport when it is much more efficient under current technology to use biofuels for heating and cooling.

We made the following responses to consultations on biofuels and climate change:

1 Oct 2007
Are biofuels sustainable?
Response to the Environmental Audit Committee

3 Mar 2006
Climate Change: Bioenergy
A response to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

27 Jan 2005
Climate Change: Looking forward
A response to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Articles from the Biologist magazine:

November 2008
Renewable energy strategy
Barbara Knowles

February 2007
Biofuels - is there a role for GM?
Derek Burke

February 2006
Ode to energy crops
Bill Parry

February 2006
Bioenergy: not a new sports drink, but a way to tackle climate change
Pete Smith

Further information

Royal Society report Sustainable biofuels: prospects and challenges. January 2008.
Environmental Audit Committee report Are biofuels sustainable? January 2008.