Natural Resources

Stop Government support for damaging biofuels
4 November 2011

The Government is planning to continue financial support for biofuels, despite the devastating impact they have on people and the environment.

The proposals - to amend a policy called the Renewables Obligation - mean:

  • Energy companies will get more support for burning biofuels, than for producing electricity from clean, green onshore wind.
  • Many small scale onshore wind projects will become unviable. 

Yet increasing demand for biofuels and biomass - like palm oil and wood - from abroad, is driving:

  • Deforestation. Wood is taken for burning and forest is cleared to make way for new biofuel crops.
  • Land-grabbing. Local people are forced off their land so more biofuel crops can be grown.
  • Extinction. Animals, plants and habitats are under threat.
  • Climate change. Despite many Governments seeing them as 'green', some biofuels actually cause more greenhouse gas emissions than coal.

You can help

Tell the Department for Energy and Climate Change and Energy Minister, Charles Hendry, to stop support for biofuels and imported biomass, and rethink plans that will make small scale wind unviable. 

ActionTell the Government to change its plans

Dear Minister,



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Deforestation in Paraguay

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