Campaigners support EU biofuel cutbacks

But Friends of the Earth claim more drastic measures are needed
Andrew

Environmental campaigners have welcomed a decision by the European Parliament to scale back plans to increase the use of first generation biofuels but claim the decision does not go far enough and targets should be scrapped altogether.

In a vote on Thursday, members of the European Parliament’s Industry committee voted to amend an earlier commitment from the European Commission that 10 per cent of all road transport fuels should come from renewable sources by 2020.

Following pressure from environmental groups, the parliament voted for a plan endorsing that 40 per cent of the 10 per cent EC renewable fuel plan should come from alternatives to so-called first generation biofuels.