Summary and 7 key points The promotion of bio-energy and biofuels should be an integrated part of a coherent approach to combat climate change and its merits must be compared to that of other policy measures. The use of biofuels must have clear climate benefits without jeopardising countries abilities to achieve other environmental priorities such as halting the loss of biodiversity, preventing soil degradation and achieving good ecological status of its water bodies. -> The objective of a policy for bioenergy is first and foremost to combat climate change. The potential of biomass as an energy source should be developed as part of a strategy to fight climate change. Nevertheless it should be stressed that this potential has its limitations and several drawbacks do exist. More alternative energy sources need to be developed with a first and foremost priority given to energy efficiency and the development and application of clean technology. Most importantly, not all bio-energy is good for the environment on all accounts. -> Bioenergy is important but not the silver bullet it is often made out to be. The experience with first and second generation biofuels shows the importance of innovation. This means that a policy for bio-energy should do more then simply provide a new outlet to continue unsustainable production patters within the agricultural sector. It also means that the production of crops for energy should be driven by market forces, not subsidies. It should provide the right incentives so that those forms of bio-energy which provide the highest environmental and climate benefits receive the highest support. -> Bio-energy policy should drive technological development and innovation and incentives should therefore be based on real environmental benefits. It is very likely that a large part of the biomass consumed in the EU will be imported because it will simply be cheaper to produce in third countries. This also entails a risk of even greater pressures on pristine and natural ecosystems in particularly tropical countries. It is absolutely crucial that by developing a European bio-energy market, we do not incentivise the clearance of pristine habitats in both developed and developing countries. -> Setting up a system which will realistically ensure that the crops produced meet key sustainability criteria should be a condition sine qua non for the promotion of bio-energy and specifically biofuels. Also when the production of biomass is done in a sustainable way, it is important that it is used in those sectors where it is most efficient. This means for example where the limit of the energy efficiency potential is reached or where biomass can be directly transformed into energy as for example is the case in the heating and cooling sector…

Download EEB position on Biomass and Biofuels: the need for well defined sustainability criteria.Pdf