Home > Campaigns > Biodiversity > Press for change > Stop biofuel targets
On 23rd January 2008 the European Commission published its proposal that all road fuels in the EU will contain 10% biofuels by 2020.
This massive increase in Europe's demand for biofuels (also called agrofuels) will have a devastating impact on producing countries.
Friends of the Earth is calling on the EU to scrap the target.
In recent months, report after report from esteemed organisations like the UN and the Royal Society have warned of the dangers of biofuels expansion.
While the impacts on biodiversity and food prices have attracted much publicity lately, relatively little focus has been on the communities directly affected.
Friends of the Earth, Sawit Watch and LifeMosaic have now published a new report Losing Ground (PDF† 1342K).
It focuses on the human cost of palm oil expansion in Indonesia.
The report illustrates how the expansions of biofuel plantations like palm oil are harming the rights of local communities and indigenous people.
Introduction to the film "Palmed Off".
The European Commission proposes to avoid negative impacts from biofuel through the introduction of sustainability criteria.
But sustainability criteria fail to solve many of the problems of biofuels.
There is not even an attempt to address social issues like the ones highlighted in our report.
In the face of such evidence, targets to increase biofuel use in the UK and the rest of the EU are misguided.
They risk environmental damage and human rights abuses on an massive scale.
The European Parliament can still stop the 10% target.
Take action now - email your MEPs today
Type your postcode in the box below and press Go:
