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CHARITY BLOG
TIGERS UNDER THREAT FROM EU BIOFUELS
EU loophole threatens rainforests and the many endangered species
The future survival of Indonesian rainforest species, including the critically endangered tiger and orangutan, is threatened by a European Commission (EC) Directive that will increase the amount of palm oil used in cars and power stations.
A leaked report reveals that a loophole in the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), intended to reduce greenhouse gases, would allow the vast majority of palm oil currently produced to be used in vehicles on UK roads.
Although the aim of RED is to protect wildlife areas by banning the sourcing of fuel from greenhouse gas-sequestering grasslands, wetlands and forests, an exemption means the protection does not apply to habitats changed before January 2008.
Much palm oil comes from plantations that have replaced forests in the past 15 years.
“This leaked document shows the disgraceful attempts to push palm oil through European laws designed to prevent destruction of the world’s forests,” said Adrian Bebb, agrofuels campaign coordinator for Friends of the Earth Europe.
“Allowing the expansion of palm plantations to fuel cars and lorries in Europe will have a devastating impact on the climate, biodiversity and the people who depend on forests.
“If the incoming Commission is serious about tackling climate change and halting biodiversity loss it needs to clean up the biofuels legacy and urgently ensure that forests are not sacrificed to fuel cars.”
Under RED, EU member states have to ensure that ten per cent of petrol and diesel used in road transport comes from renewable sources. It is therefore highly likely that the policy will lead to an increase in demand for palm oil.
The largest palm oil producing countries are Malaysia and Indonesia, which are the last refuges for the critically endangered Sumatran and Indo-Chinese tiger, as well as other threatened species including the orangutan and Asian elephant.
When land is converted to plantations about 90 per cent of an area’s biodiversity is lost and animal species are driven into conflict with humans.
There is also significant evidence that chopping down rainforest to grow plants such as palm oil exacerbates climate change, both by releasing carbon stored in trees and reducing the amount they are able to absorb.
By Dan Sumner
WWF CAMPAIGNS TO SAVE THE WORLD’S FORESTS – BECOME A MEMBER TODAY
