1. Good or Bad for sustainable development?
Biofuels
Good or Bad for sustainable development?

2. All biomass can be used for energy 1st generation
Ethanol (fermentation)
Diesel (vegetable oil)
2nd generation
- Plants, trees, straw
3rd generation
- Algae (technology needs to be developed)

3. Benefits
- reducing CO2
- No longer dependent on fossil fuels
- Solution for EU farmers
- development opportunities for tropical countries, countries with abundance of land

4. Downside CO2 effects over the whole cycle can be negative
Competition with food (scientific reports say that approx. 30% of the rise in food prices can be attributed to biofuels)
Violation of land rights (enforcement)
takes the pressure of energy saving policies
deforestation (palm oil and soy)
other social and environmental concerns

5. Policy response EU
Volume targets (10% added to fuel in 2020, max. 6% 1st generation fuel)
Sustainability criteria (CO2, biodiversity, indirect effects)
Lower volume targets because of fear of competition with food. Bigger focus on 2nd generation
Reluctance to add social standards because of possible WTO inconsistency

6. NIS region is very relevant for the EU’s biomass policy, especially second generation.
Pilot Projects in Russia, Ukraine, Baltics
Questions on GM? Contamination? Governance of land rights