This briefing gives an overview of reducing transport fuel emissions within the EU's fuel quality directive. In particular it examines the importance of giving high carbon sources such as tar sands and coal-to-liquid higher carbon values.
Two EU laws adopted in 2009 promote the use of biofuels in the EU, ostensibly for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector. But both the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) could lead to higher, not lower greenhouse gas emissions unless the issue of Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) is resolved.
Full programme coming soon.
The Commission is postponing a decision on how to assess the climatic impact of non-conventional sources of transport fuel such as tar sands and oil shale. A decision was expected in June, but Brussels has ordered an assessment of the impact of giving high-carbon sources a higher climate rating, which means no final judgement will be made until next year. The postponement came just days after T&E published a study saying reducing greenhouse gas emissions from petrol and diesel production will cost less to administer than the oil industry says.
What role for biofuels and unconventional oil? A lunch debate hosted by Romana Jordan, MEP (EPP), Richard Seeber, MEP (EPP), Chris Davies, MEP (ALDE) and Linda McAvan, MEP (S&D)
Over 100 civil society organisations have written to President Barroso and his Commissioner colleagues calling for the full climate impact of biofuels, including indirect land use change, to be taken into account in two key pieces of EU legislation. The full text of the letter appears below.
To measure progress toward the FQD GHG emissions reduction target, the European Commission is designing reporting measures which will outline default values for the lifecycle GHG emissions of transport fuels derived from different sources, including fuels produced from unconventional feedstocks such as tar sands. Several questions have arisen whether the reporting measures and the inclusion of a default value for tar sands comply with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and jurisprudence, namely the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and case law.
Brussels - Fuel tax havens such as Luxembourg and Spain may have to raise their low diesel taxes following a vote in the European Parliament in Strasbourg this afternoon on a proposal to revise the EU’s Energy Tax law. Commenting on the outcome of the vote, Magnus Nilsson, senior campaigner at T&E said: “This vote is good news for countries like Portugal, Belgium, France and Germany who currently lose billions in tax revenue as a result of lorries filling up in fuel tax havens such as Luxembourg and Spain. Lower diesel taxes are bad for the climate and force governments to find cash elsewhere, such as by raising job-killing labour taxes. ”
