ID :
127308
Fri, 06/11/2010 - 12:49
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/127308
The shortlink copeid
GUIDELINES TO IMPLEMENT EU`S RENEWABLE ENERGY DRIVE ADOPTED
KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 (Bernama) -- The European Commission Thursday adopted
guidelines to implement the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive which
forms part of its 2008 climate and energy package.
"The adopted package gives clear guidance to the Malaysian palm oil
producers what they need to do to meet the EU's sustainability criteria for
biofuels, including palm-based biodiesel.
"This will help investment decisions and marketing," said the EU Delegation to
Malaysia in a statement Thursday.
It said the Malaysian exports of biodiesel to the EU are still relatively small,
but they are likely to grow during this decade as a result of the EU’s renewable
energy policy.
The EU climate and energy package of 2008 fixes a legally binding,
unilateral target of 20 per cent greenhouse gas emissions reduction below 1990
levels by 2020.
It also requires the EU member states to achieve by 2020 a 20 per cent reduction
in energy use below 1990 levels by improving energy efficiency.
The package furthermore obliges EU member states to ensure a 20 per cent share
of renewable energy in the total energy consumption by 2020. Within this 20 per
cent for renewables, it sets a target of 10 per cent for renewable fuels in the
transport sector.
"To reach these targets, biofuels must deliver substantial reductions in
greenhouse gas emission and should not come from forests, wetlands, peatlands
and nature protected areas," said the EU Delegation.
It said the guidelines lay down the requirements for certification schemes that
want to be recognized by the European Commission, and describe the standards to
be met for these schemes to gain EU recognition.
"The guidelines further describe the land-use criteria of the Renewable Energy
Directive, explaining which types of land cannot be used to produce biofuels.
These are natural forests, protected areas, drained peatlands, wetlands.
"Conversion of a forest to oil palm plantation would fail the sustainability
requirements," it said.
It said the guidelines also describe how to prove that the biofuels used have
high greenhouse gas savings.
"Those that do not achieve the threshold of 35 per cent greenhouse gas savings
compared to fossil fuels will not qualify for the incentives aimed at
stimulating the use of biofuels.
"They can, however, continue to be imported into the EU," it added.
The EU Delegation said the sustainability criteria do not apply to exports of
Malaysian palm oil for consumer products such as food or cosmetics. At present,
these represent about 95 per cent of Malaysia's palm oil exports to EU.
-- BERNAMA
guidelines to implement the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive which
forms part of its 2008 climate and energy package.
"The adopted package gives clear guidance to the Malaysian palm oil
producers what they need to do to meet the EU's sustainability criteria for
biofuels, including palm-based biodiesel.
"This will help investment decisions and marketing," said the EU Delegation to
Malaysia in a statement Thursday.
It said the Malaysian exports of biodiesel to the EU are still relatively small,
but they are likely to grow during this decade as a result of the EU’s renewable
energy policy.
The EU climate and energy package of 2008 fixes a legally binding,
unilateral target of 20 per cent greenhouse gas emissions reduction below 1990
levels by 2020.
It also requires the EU member states to achieve by 2020 a 20 per cent reduction
in energy use below 1990 levels by improving energy efficiency.
The package furthermore obliges EU member states to ensure a 20 per cent share
of renewable energy in the total energy consumption by 2020. Within this 20 per
cent for renewables, it sets a target of 10 per cent for renewable fuels in the
transport sector.
"To reach these targets, biofuels must deliver substantial reductions in
greenhouse gas emission and should not come from forests, wetlands, peatlands
and nature protected areas," said the EU Delegation.
It said the guidelines lay down the requirements for certification schemes that
want to be recognized by the European Commission, and describe the standards to
be met for these schemes to gain EU recognition.
"The guidelines further describe the land-use criteria of the Renewable Energy
Directive, explaining which types of land cannot be used to produce biofuels.
These are natural forests, protected areas, drained peatlands, wetlands.
"Conversion of a forest to oil palm plantation would fail the sustainability
requirements," it said.
It said the guidelines also describe how to prove that the biofuels used have
high greenhouse gas savings.
"Those that do not achieve the threshold of 35 per cent greenhouse gas savings
compared to fossil fuels will not qualify for the incentives aimed at
stimulating the use of biofuels.
"They can, however, continue to be imported into the EU," it added.
The EU Delegation said the sustainability criteria do not apply to exports of
Malaysian palm oil for consumer products such as food or cosmetics. At present,
these represent about 95 per cent of Malaysia's palm oil exports to EU.
-- BERNAMA
