FEARS over the damaging impact of biofuel production were underlined yesterday by a new European move to nearly halve targets for their use in vehicles.
Euro MPs have voted to recommend that 6 per cent of road transport fuel should be crop based by 2020.
The current aim is that 10 per cent of such fuel should be from renewable sources, including biofuels.
A goal of 5 per cent from renewables
by 2015, including 4 per cent from biofuels, was also agreed. But environmental campaigners said the move did not go far enough.
Kenneth Richter of Friends of the Earth, said: "It's great news that Euro MPs are waking up to the fact that biofuels are doing more harm than good – but they must go further and scrap these targets altogether."
The vote comes as the UK government prepares to announce plans next month to cut its own biofuels targets. The current UK target is 5 per cent by 2010 – twice current usage – but ministers have signalled they plan to slow the growth of biofuels as much as possible.
Ruth Kelly, the Transport Secretary, said she would "proceed cautiously" after a report by the Renewable Fuels Agency said biofuels could be increasing greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to food price rises by taking up farmland.
The full article contains 223 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
