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Moving the debate on sustainable bioenergy to 2030
On 30th November, the European Commission published a “Winter package” of policy proposals, including for bioenergy in the form of a revised Renewable Energy Directive. Although encouraging to answer the many requests for policy certainty, a number of key questions about the right and most appropriate approach to deliver sustainable bioenergy still remain and need further scrutiny.
bioenergy
biofuels
energy
sustainability criteria02 Dec 2016 -
The impacts of the UK’s low carbon energy policy on biodiversity: evidence and policy tools
The study reviews evidence of the impacts of UK's low carbon energy policy on biodiversity in the UK and abroad, and incorporates biodiversity effects of low carbon energy scenarios into the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change 2050 pathway calculator tool.
biodiversity
biofuels
birds
energy
impact assessment
renewable energy
wind turbine20 Jul 2016 -
IEEP sets out new sustainability criteria for biofuels post 2020
Defining effective and workable sustainability criteria for biofuels is one of the critical steps in decarbonising Europe’s energy sector. Such criteria must provide the necessary safeguards for the use of bioresources in Europe, as well as the policy and investment certainty required for sustainable deployment.
agriculture
bioenergy
biofuels
land use
resource use
sustainable consumption and production06 May 2016 -
Sustainability criteria for biofuels post 2020
Defining effective and workable sustainability criteria is one of the critical steps in decarbonising Europe’s energy sector. They must provide the necessary safeguards for the use of bioresources in Europe, as well as the policy and investment certainty required for sustainable deployment.
agriculture
bioenergy
biofuels
land use
resource use
sustainable consumption and production06 May 2016 -
Land suitability assessments for bioenergy feedstocks in the EU – a review of data sources
Current data availability is inadequate to undertake a detailed national or European level study of land areas that are underutilised and could be considered available for bioenergy production within the EU.
agriculture
bioenergy
biofuels
climate and energy package
climate change
transport29 Jan 2016 -
Assessing sustainable biomass availability
Dr. Ben Allen presented IEEP’s views on the sustainable use of biomass at an international conference in Brussels. Understanding the scale of the resource is a key part of determining appropriate policy intervention and ensuring commercial viability.
bioeconomy
bioenergy
biofuels
transport23 Sep 2015 -
New report: delivering low carbon transport fuels post 2020
How should EU policy support the transition to low carbon transport fuels post 2020? A new IEEP led report argues that future policies should be differentiated to tailor support towards specific objectives and technologies that offer the greatest potential for a low carbon future.
bioeconomy
bioenergy
biofuels
carbon
climate and energy package
climate change
emissions trading
energy
market based instruments
mitigation
policy instruments
renewable energy
transport13 Jul 2015 -
New report is out: delivering low carbon transport fuels post 2020
How should EU policy support the transition to low carbon transport fuels post 2020? A new IEEP led report argues that future policies should be differentiated to tailor support towards specific objectives and technologies that offer the greatest potential for a low carbon future.
bioeconomy
bioenergy
biofuels
carbon
climate and energy package
climate change
emissions trading
energy
market based instruments
mitigation
policy instruments
renewable energy
transport13 Jul 2015 -
Conclusion on ILUC in sight
After five years of discussion, a landmark moment has been reached whereby the indirect land use change (ILUC) impacts of biofuels almost certainly will be addressed in EU law.
bioeconomy
bioenergy
biofuels
clean technologies
climate change
energy
ILUC
renewable energy
resource use
transport17 Apr 2015 -
Building a high value bioeconomy in the UK: opportunities from waste
The UK is exploring opportunities to develop a high value bioeconomy based initially on waste. IEEP is helping to identify international best practice examples in order to maximise the environmental and economic benefits of this new Government initiative.
bioeconomy
biofuels
Circular economy
clean technologies
climate change
energy
renewable energy
resource use13 Mar 2015 -
Evidence before ideology
The latest edition of IEEP's newsletter is now available. David Baldock argues that in 2015 solid evidence rather than political fashion will be required in scrutinising EU policy and economic performance. Also: fossil fuel subsidies; allocating fishing quota; and the launch of our new training programme.
agriculture
bioenergy
biofuels
climate change
ecosystem services
energy
fisheries
land use
total allowable catches and quotas27 Jan 2015 -
The Manual: Chapter 13 - Sectoral policies
This is a chapter of IEEP’s Manual of European Environmental Policy. This chapter sets out the development of some of the most important links between EU environmental policy and other policy areas, such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, transport, trade, and so on.
agriculture
air quality
biodiversity
biofuels
CAP
carbon
climate change
Common Fisheries Policy
emissions trading
energy
fisheries
forestry
greenhouse gases
land degradation
land use
Maritime Policy
renewable energy
soil
trade
transport27 Nov 2014 -
Space for energy crops – An assessment on the potential contribution of Europe’s energy future
The overall energy potential that can be produced from growing dedicated energy crops on ‘spare’ land in the EU is low. This new report explores the potential for the additional production of energy crops in Europe on land not already used for food production, forestry, or providing other important services, and assesses some of the challenges associated with increasing output.
agriculture
bioenergy
biofuels
energy
land use
mitigation
natural resources
renewable energy
resource use
soil
transport21 May 2014 -
Press release - Biofuels don’t deliver but bioresources have promise
Biofuels produced from conventional agricultural crops deliver only limited reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and compete for limited supplies of land.
bioenergy
biofuels
climate change
green economy
land use
renewable energy31 Mar 2014 -
Re-examining EU biofuels policy: A 2030 perspective
EU biofuel policy must reflect the reality that while biomass in principle can be renewed, the overall quantity sustainably available is finite and must be shared across an emerging bioeconomy.
bioenergy
biofuels
climate change
land use18 Mar 2014 -
Options for sustainable food and agriculture in the EU
How should Europe respond to the increased demands on our food and agriculture systems arising from global population growth, changing diets, and competing demands on agricultural land? This report offers a view on how the EU could play a role in meeting these challenges in the coming decades and sets out some of the options which merit particular attention.
agriculture
biodiversity
bioenergy
biofuels
climate change
eco-innovation
food
genetically modified organism
land use
livestock
natural resources
recycling
soil
sustainable consumption and production
sustainable development
waste17 Dec 2013 -
Europe’s role in feeding the world in 2050
IEEP presents views on how Europe should respond to the increased demands on our food and agriculture systems arising from global population growth, changing diets, and competing demands on agricultural land.
agriculture
biodiversity
bioenergy
biofuels
climate change
eco-innovation
food
genetically modified organism
land use
livestock
natural resources
recycling
resource use
soil
sustainable consumption and production
sustainable development
waste17 Dec 2013 -
Ministers place biofuels in a policy vacuum
Energy Ministers today failed to agree reforms to the EU laws that promote the use of biofuels for transport. Current EU legislation is flawed and unfit for the purpose of delivering verifiable greenhouse gas emission reductions from the transport sector.
bioenergy
biofuels
carbon
climate change
energy12 Dec 2013 -
Interactions between climate change and agriculture; and between biodiversity and agriculture in Europe
What should be Europe’s role in feeding the world in 2050? This IEEP report for the European Parliament describes options for increasing the productivity of European agriculture whilst adapting to climate change, reducing emissions, and providing biodiversity and ecosystem service benefits from agriculture.
adaptation
agri-environment
agriculture
biodiversity
bioenergy
biofuels
birds
climate change
eco-innovation
food
genetically modified organism
high nature value
land use
livestock
mitigation
natural resources
organic farming
recycling
resource use
soil
sustainable consumption and production
sustainable development
waste29 Oct 2013 -
Ecosystem services of boreal mires and peatlands in Finland
Mire ecosystems are well-known for their unique species and habitats of high conservation value and they also provide a range of benefits to our societies and economies. This publication outlines the results of a pioneering project that aimed to identify and valuate ecosystem services provided by pristine mires and managed peatlands in Finland.
biodiversity
bioenergy
biofuels
Convention on Biological Diversity
eco-labelling
ecosystem services
market based instruments
multilateral environmental agreements
natural resources
nature conservation
protected area
sustainable development
TEEB30 Sep 2013