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Biofuels

Volume 486: debated on Tuesday 20 January 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he will take to reinstate the inclusion of indirect land-use impacts in EU biofuel sustainability criteria. (249624)

Indirect land use impacts will be taken into account by the European Commission for the first time as part of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). The Commission will report on the impact of indirect land use change, and, if appropriate, propose a methodology to take account of the greenhouse gas emissions caused by indirect land use change, by 31 December 2010 for agreement by the European Council and European Parliament by 2012.

The UK will continue to be instrumental in promoting sustainable biofuels. Accordingly we will use our research programme to help ensure that the development of an EU-wide methodology is based on the best available science.