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The Gallagher Review, commissioned by the UK Government to investigate the impact of biofuels, has called for a go-slow on their introduction.

The review, led by the Renewable Fuels Agency’s chair Ed Gallagher, concludes that biofuels have adversely influenced the price of some foods and are in danger of reducing biodiversity and actually increasing greenhouse gas emissions under current policies.

“Our review makes clear that the risks of negative impacts from biofuels are real and significant, but it also lays out a path for a truly sustainable biofuels industry in the future,” said Gallagher at the review’s launch.

According to Government figures, biofuels could save 338-371 million tonnes of CO₂ every year, but the Gallagher Review argues that savings can only be made if regulations are implemented to guarantee sustainable development. The Government should also introduce incentives to spur the development of advanced technologies, such as the use of idle or marginal land, algae and wastes or residues to produce biofuels, says the report.

The Gallagher Review is calling for the UK to reduce its biofuels target to an increase of just 0.5% per annum from the current level of 1.25%. Instead of reaching the Government’s 5% target by 2010/11, the go-slow in the introduction of biofuels would mean this target would not be reached until 2013/14. Higher targets after this time should then set only if sustainable sources of biofuels can be guaranteed.

The UK Government has responded saying that it will consult on slowing down the rate of introduction of biofuels in line with the review’s recommendations.

Transport Secretart Ruth Kelly said: “I agree with Professor Gallagher that we should take a precautionary approach over the next few years, until we are clearer about their wider effects on the environment.”

“This isn’t just about our own targets here in the UK - we will be pressing hard in Europe to ensure that any future EU biofuels targets are also conditional on strong sustainability criteria which include the indirect impacts of producing them,” added Environment Secretary Hilary Benn.

The Gallagher Review suggests that the EU target of 10% biofuels target by 2020 cannot be met sustainably and should be revised until measures to manage the risks can be implemented. According to the report, a figure of 5-8% is more realistic. It adds that the EU should set a target of 1-2% from advanced technologies such as using marginal land, algae, or wastes and residues for producing biofuels.

The Carbon Trust welcomed the findings, but environmental group Friends of the Earth (FOE) criticised the report for not going far enough. Gallagher’s call for a reduction in UK and EU targets will not be sufficient to stop food price rises or rainforest destruction, it says.

“If we want to quit our expensive and damaging fossil fuel habit we need a new direction in transport - not a quick fix from biofuels,” says FOE biofuels campaigner Kenneth Richter.

Instead, the environmental group is calling for the UK and EU to abandon biofuels targets altogether and strengthen fuel efficiency standards.

Coinciding with the launch of the review, the European Parliament’s Environment Committee also voted to recommend a lowering of EU targets on biofuels. The committee is calling on the EU to revise its targets so that biofuels make up just half of the 8-10% renewables target for transport by 2020.

For further information:
www.renewablefuelsagency.org/reportsandpublications/reviewoftheindirecteffectsofbiofuels.cfm
www.foe.co.uk
www.carbontrust.co.uk
www.europarl.europa.eu/comparl/envi/default_en.htm