Report criticises 'unethical' European biofuels policy

Policies such as the European Renewable Energy Directive are claimed to be particularly weak when it comes to protecting the environment, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and avoiding human rights violations in developing countries.

They also include few incentives for the development of new biofuel technologies that could help avoid these problems, according to the report.

‘Biofuels are one of the only renewable alternatives we have for transport fuels such as petrol and diesel, but current policies and targets that encourage their uptake have backfired badly,’ said Prof Joyce Tait, who led the inquiry. ‘The rapid expansion of biofuels production in the developing world has led to problems such as deforestation and the displacement of indigenous people. We want a more sophisticated strategy that considers the wider consequences of biofuel production.’

In its Biofuels: ethical issues report, the Nuffield Council recommends biofuels should be environmentally sustainable and contribute to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Similarly, biofuels should adhere to fair-trade principles and development of the fuel should not be at the expense of human rights.