UN FAO to establish body to regulate biofuels development on food vs fuel, sustainability criteria

May 26, 2008

The June summit meeting of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization is expected to propose an intergovernmental group to release guidelines for sustainable biofuels. The draft communique from the summit proposes that the governmental group ”identify best practices for the production and sustainable use of biofuel,” as an effort to address global food price escalation. ”We are firmly convinced that the international community must take, in the immediate future, coordinated action to mitigate and where possible correct the negative impact of increased food prices on the world’s most vulnerable countries and populations,” the draft report says.

Inter-American Development Bank launches Biofuels Sustainability Scorecard based on criteria of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB)

The Inter-American Development Bank has launched a new interactive Biofuels Sustainability Scorecard, which analyzes the social, economic and environmental benefits of proposed biofuels projects. The ...

UK Renewable Fuels Agency says country ahead on biofuels targets; only 20 percent reporting compliance on sustainability

In England, the Renewable Fuels Agency released its first quarterly report, stating that the country is on track with respect to its sustainable biofuels targets. This despite a revelation in business...

Roundtable for Sustainable Biofuels publishes draft standards for download, comment

The Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels has released "Version Zero" of its sustainability principles and criteria, and have released a draft for public comment here. The group plans to gather stakehold...

Brazil applauds new EU sustainability criteria, looks to export more ethanol

In Brazil, the Brazilian Sugar Cane Industry Association (UNICA) said in a statement said that it welcomed the new EU criteria for sustainability and looked forward to supplying more fuels to the EU m...

Obama will declare CO2 a pollutant, regulate under Clean Air Act, EPA, says top energy adviser

Obama energy adviser Jason Grumet said that, if elected, Sen. Barack Obama will classify CO2 as a pollutant and instruct the EPA that it can use the 1990 Clean Air Act to regulate CO2 emissions.The Su...

Cornell receives $10 million grant for Institute for Computational Sustainability; will model ethanol production, food vs fuel balance

In New York, Cornell University has received a $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation for its new Institute for Computational Sustainability that will, among other goals, provide compu...

Written by Jim Lane · Filed Under Policy