Ref. Ares(2012)1154780 - 02/10/2012
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From: GEOGHEGAN-QUINN Maire (CAB-GEOGHEGAN-QUINN)
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 8:51 AM
To: KILCOYNE Bernie (CAB-GEOGHEGAN-QUINN)
Subject: Fwd: Biofuels: new Oxfam report and European Commission proposal to amend Renewable
Energy Directive (RED) and Fuel Quality Directive (FQD)
Seolta ó mo iFón
Begin forwarded message:
From:
To: "GEOGHEGAN-QUINN Maire (CAB-GEOGHEGAN-QUINN)"
<xxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xx.xxxxxx.xx>
Cc: "BELL John (CAB-GEOGHEG
AN-QUINN)" <xxxx.xxxx@xx.xxxxxx.xx>,
"SUTHERLAND Shane (CAB-GEOGHEGAN-QUINN)"
<xxxxx.xxxxxxxxxx@xx.xxxxxx.xx>, "SMITS Robert-Jan (R
TD)" <Robert-
xxx.xxxxx@xx.xxxxxx.xx>,
Subject: Biofuels: new Oxfam report and European Commission proposal
to amend Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and Fuel Quality Directive
(FQD)
Dear Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn:
Land used to power European cars with biofuels for one year could produce
enough wheat and maize to feed 127 million people. This is one of the startling
facts contained in 'The Hunger Grains', a report on EU biofuels policy published
by Oxfam on September 17th. European support for biofuels comes at a cost to
Europeans of several billion Euros a year. At the same time, Europe’s growing
appetite for biofuels is pushing up global food prices and driving people off their
land, resulting in deeper hunger and malnutrition in poor countries.
I am aware that the Commission will soon decide on a proposal to amend the
Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) to address
indirect land use change (ILUC) impacts of biofuels. Oxfam welcomes this and
believes it is of the utmost importance that the proposal that you will adopt
achieves a rapid phase-out of the use of biofuels made from food crops and
feedstocks in direct competition with food for land and water. The proposed 5%
cap on first generation biofuels contained in the draft proposal that has become
public is too high, and would maintain an unsustainable pressure on food prices,
land and ecosystems. Moreover, this proposal does not ensure that biofuels used
on the European market will reduce emissions compared to fossil fuels, because
it fails to introduce greenhouse gas accounting for ILUC in the Renewable Energy
Directive.
We call on you to adopt a legislative proposal on ILUC that will make the EU’s
renewable energy policy sustainable by phasing out the support for biofuels that
compete with food immediately, and by including emissions caused by indirect
land use change in greenhouse gas accounting both under the RED and the
FQD.
Attached you will find a copy of our report in English; it is also available in
Spanish and French (see: http://www.oxfam.org/en/grow/policy/hunger-grains).
We would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Hobbs
Executive Director
Oxfam International
Tel +32 (0)2 234 11 10
http://www.oxfam.org/en/euwww.oxfam.org/en/eu
[Signed letter attached]
Essential Services and Economic Justice
Oxfam EU Advocacy Office | Challenging EU policies to make them work for
people in poverty
Visit our web page www.oxfam.org/en/eu<http://www.oxfam.org/en/eu/>
Tel: +32 (0) 2 234 11 19 | Fax +32 (0)2 502 19 41
Twitter @OxfamEU
Rue de la Science 4 - 1000 Brussels
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Visit the web site at http://www.oxfam.org/http://www.oxfam.org
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