Page 38 - Biofuels for a More Sustainable Future

32 Biofuels for a More Sustainable Future

deliberate actions of changing the status of protected land for pure economic
motivation.
The third criterion states that biofuels and bioliquids should not be made
from the materials obtained from land with high carbon stock. The RED
Directive details the notion of such lands as lands which in January 2008
were wetlands or continuously forester areas (more than hectare, with trees
higher than 5m or able to reach in situ and canopy covered more than 30%)
and do not have this status anymore. In the case of forested areas covered by
canopies in 10%–30% exceptions are foreseen if evidence that use of the land
is able to fulfill the first criterion (i.e., GHSs emission reduction) is provided.
The fourth criterion provides that the raw material should not be
obtained from peatlands unless there is evidence that cultivation and harvest-
ing will not lead to drainage of previously undrained soil.
The last criterion statutes that raw material production should be com-
pliant with agricultural and environmental requirements of “Council Reg-
ulation (EC) No 73/2009 of 19 January 2009 establishing common rules for
direct support schemes for farmers under the common agricultural policy
5
and establishing certain support schemes for farmers.” Besides these, mem-
ber states should not introduce additional sustainability criteria.
Every 2 years the Commission is required to report to the European
Parliament and Council on the respect of sustainability criteria, influence
of increased demand for biofuels on social sustainability, including “the
availability of foodstuffs at affordable prices, in particular for people living
in developing countries, and wider development issues,” and provide infor-
mation about ratification of third countries (exporters of biofuels materials)
significant international conventions of, for example, labor laws.
When it goes to blending standards for individual fuels selling to con-
sumers, the amount of ethanol in traditional petrol should not exceed
10% from 2013 and amount of FAME (fatty acid methyl ester) in traditional
6
diesel fuel should not exceed 7% (e.g., E10 and B7). However, the member
states can require the 5% ethanol level for longer time than to 2013 if they
consider it as necessary and can permit introduction of diesel with higher
level of FAME than 7% but these actions should be taken providing appro-
priate information to consumers. Moreover, there are also other bioethanol

5
The regulation itself is no longer in force. See the consolidated version from 2014, EUR-
Lex, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri¼CELEX:02009R0073-
20140925 (accessed 20 September 2018).
6
Respectively Annexes I and II of the Fuels Quality Directive.