Sustainable biofuel standards released

International standards for guaranteeing that biofuels originate from environmentally sustainable sources moved a step closer yesterday after the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) released draft guidelines.

The draft criteria, called Version Zero, set out 12 standards that biofuel producers must adhere to if they are to label their fuels as sustainable, including compliance with local laws, provision of evidence their fuel delivers reductions in carbon emissions compared with fossil fuels and does not adversely impact food supplies, and the adoption of measures to limit impacts on biodiversity, soil quality and water supplies.

The standards were developed by the RSB's steering board, which includes representatives from green groups, oil companies and the UN Environment Programme, and drew on input from more than 300 experts.

The standards will now be open to consultation until February next year with the RSB hoping to finalise the standards soon after.

"With all of the mixed messages we hear about biofuels, there is a clear need for a standard that can differentiate the good from the bad," said Dr. Claude Martin, formerly director-general of WWF, and current chair of the RSB.

Questions will remain about how the standards are to be enforced, but they are likely to be welcomed by green groups and politicians who have repeatedly argued that sustainability criteria are essential to ensure that demand for energy crops does not contribute to deforestation and food shortages.