‘Low ILUC-Risk’ as a Sustainability Standard for Biofuels in the EU

Cato Sandford, Chris Malins, George Vourliotakis and Calliope Panoutsou ()
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Cato Sandford: Cerulogy, London WC2H 9JQ, UK
Chris Malins: Cerulogy, London WC2H 9JQ, UK
George Vourliotakis: Exergia, 10671 Athens, Greece
Calliope Panoutsou: Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-31

Abstract: Producers of biofuels for the EU market may use ‘low ILUC-risk’ certification as evidence that they have not deprived other economic sectors of feedstock material, and hence that indirect land use change (ILUC) emissions have been avoided. At present, the uptake of low ILUC-risk certification is limited to a handful of niche projects, as there is little commercial incentive for obtaining certification. This may be considered a missed opportunity, because low ILUC-risk farming methods offer a range of sustainability co-benefits beyond the mitigation of ILUC emissions. This paper examines the policy foundations of low ILUC-risk and develops policy recommendations that would aim to confer advantages to low ILUC-risk biofuels. Some weaknesses in the low ILUC-risk system’s environmental safeguards are also highlighted.

Keywords: indirect land use change; low ILUC-risk; EU biofuel policy; RED Annex IX (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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