Both ENDS

News / 5 September 2016

Letter to the government about biofuels

By 2020, the EU wants a larger percentage of fuel used for transportation to consist of renewable sources, such as biofuel. Many European countries have therefore made the blending of biofuels in diesel and gasoline mandatory. A large proportion of this biofuel is now palm oil.

Almost half of all palm oil coming into the EU is used as biofuel. For the most part, this palm oil is not RSPO-certified. This reality is in sharp contrast with the agreements of the Amsterdam Declaration.

 

Don't use palm oil as biofuel

In these circumstances, Both ENDS disapproves of the use of food crops like palm oil, rapeseed, soya or sugar cane as biofuels. The Dutch government should try to bring an end to this undesirable situation in the Netherlands and the EU. In a letter sent to the cabinet on 5 September 2016, Both ENDS, Natuur & Milieu, Greenpeace Netherlands, IUCN NL & and Oxfam Novib therefore urge the Dutch government to change their policy concerning biofuels.

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