Palm oil, soybean and rapeseed may be 'more harmful' that fossil fuels

The process of 'indirect land use change' could make biofuels such as palm oil, soybean and rapeseed more harmful to the environment than fossil fuels, according to The European Union's climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard, who spoke to EurActiv.

The EU executive is finalising an assessment of the potentially damaging effects biofuels could have on the earth's climate, which could potentially be greater than fossil fuels when wider factors are taken into account. The process of 'indirect land use change' (ILUC), where tropical forests and wetlands are cleared to compensate for lands taken to grow biofuels, is one such factor which could be a cause for environmental concern.

Ms Hedegaard said: "It’s great to see the potential in new technologies, but we should take very much care in Europe that we are now not establishing a new big industry that we then, after some time, say, wow, that was not so good."

Biofuels have been marked as a potential fuel of the future, as natural resources from fossil fuels wear thin. The renewability and cost provide significant economic benefits, but production capabilities and environmental costs are still factors that need to be evaluated.

Posted by Lauren Steadman