[sustran] Dont accept Brazilian agrofuels as sustainable, say campaigners to EU

[Todd Edelman, Green Idea Factory]

Corporate Europe Observatory Press Release

Embargo: 00.01 CET Monday 17th November

Groups Highlight Brazilian Government's Damaging Agrofuel Push

Brazilian agrofuels, including ethanol from sugarcane, should not be 
accepted by the EU as sustainable, campaigners said today (Monday) in a 
joint open letter [1], published as EU representatives attend an 
International Biofuel Conference, hosted by Brazil, where leaders are 
expected to push for greater reliance on agrofuels [2].

The call comes as the EU prepares to decide on the Renewable Energy 
Directive, including mandatory targets to promote the use of agrofuel 
(fuel from crops) in transport [3].

New research, published by Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) alongside 
the letter to European decision makers shows how the Brazilian 
government is engaged in a global campaign to expand its agrofuel 
industry, including the promotion of projects in developing countries, 
some of which are funded from European aid budgets [4].

Campaigners say the Brazilian government is ignoring the damaging 
environmental and social impacts of agrofuels, including sugarcane
ethanol, in its expansion bid.

Amaranta Herrero, a campaigner with Corporate Europe Observatory, said:

"The Brazilian government wants to push its agrofuels regardless of the 
social and environmental costs. In Brazil, sugarcane expansion is
pushing soy and cattle farmers into the Amazon, causing deforestation 
and exacerbating climate change, while in developing countries,
agrofuels are competing with food crops and undermining people?s right 
to food."

Europe in particular has been seen by Brazil as a major market for its 
agrofuel exports.

CEO research shows that Brazil is developing bilateral agreements with 
EU member states to access agrofuel markets in Europe and
promote agrofuel production in parts of Africa and other developing 
countries which benefit from tariff-free imports to Europe. Some EU
member states, keen to access cheap agrofuel imports, are going as far 
as promoting agrofuel production in developing countries by
encouraging foreign direct investment (FDI) via aid policies [5].

Kim Bizzarri, author of the CEO research, said:

"Brazil clearly wants to secure a market for its agrofuel crops and is 
targeting individual EU member states who are keen to source alternative 
energy supplies. This is what lies at the heart of agrofuel expansion, 
not fighting climate change or promoting sustainable development."

As the European Parliament debates the proposed targets for agrofuels 
use in European transport and some member states review their national 
targets, the Brazilian government and industry are lobbying hard in 
Brussels not to loose Europe's commitment to bioenergy [6].

The Brazilian sugarcane industry lobby group, UNICA, is also accused of 
running misleading greenwash campaigns about agrofuels in Brussels
and the media and has been nominated for a Worst EU Lobbying Award [7] - 
while the Brazilian government is threatening a legal challenge
against Europe?s proposal to introuce social and environmental criteria 
to agrofuels imported into Europe [8].

European environmental and social campaign groups are calling for a stop 
to agrofuel expansion, including the elimination of financial and policy 
incentives and an end to EU and national targets.

Amaranta Herrero continued:

"Europe must not be allowed to fuel its cars at the expense of people's 
right to food. Agrofuels are not the solution to the energy
crisis and they are not the solution to climate change."

Notes:

[1] http://www.corporateeurope.org/docs/Open_letter_on_IBF.pdf

[2]Brazil is hosting an International Conference on Biofuels in São 
Paulo from 17-21st November - and EU representatives from the
European Commission and EU member states will be attending. (An 
International Popular Seminar on Agrofuels will also take place
alongside - for more information contact: Alexania: Phone +55 (11) 
7239.7987)

[3] <http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/docs/eu_biofuels_policy.pdf>

[4]
<http://www.corporateeurope.org/docs/Cornering_the_market_in_agrofuels.pdf>

[5]
<http://www.corporateeurope.org/docs/Cornering_the_market_in_agrofuels.pdf>

[6]
<http://www.corporateeurope.org/docs/Cornering_the_market_in_agrofuels.pdf>

[7] <http://www.worstlobby.eu/2008/vote/info/5/worstlobby

[8] 
<http://www.corporateeurope.org/docs/Cornering_the_market_in_agrofuels.pdf>


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Rue du Trône 141
1050 Brussels
Belgium


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Green Idea Factory

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