Biofuels - Handle with care

1 November 2009

This analysis of EU biofuel policy highlights the failure of EU law to account for the environmental impact of indirect land use change when calculating the greenhouse gas benefits of biofuels meaning there is a substantial risk that current EU biofuel policy will cause more harm than good.

The report also warns that current EU legislation fails to address the risks to biodiversity and to vulnerable communities in some of the poorest regions of the world.

Related issues

    • Agriculture

      Food and farming in Europe and its global impacts

    • Agrofuels

      Plant-based fuels from agriculture. Also known as biofuels

    • Biodiversity

      Species protection in Europe and around the globe

    • GMOs

      Genetically modified crops and organisms

    • Land

      Measuring Europe’s land footprint and tackling the drivers of land grabbing

    • Biodiversity

      Species protection in Europe and around the globe

    • Extractive industries

      Oil and gas exploration, and mining

    • Land

      Measuring Europe’s land footprint and tackling the drivers of land grabbing

    • Materials and waste

      Reducing, reusing and recycling resources

    • Resource use

      Europe’s consumption of land, materials, water and carbon

    • Shale gas

      Unconventional gas and the extraction process known as ‘fracking’

    • Tar sands

      Unconventional oil. Also known as oil sands

    • Water use

      Measuring Europe’s water footprint