A decision by a key European Parliament committee last week to beef up sustainability criteria for agrofuels and tilt the Union's biofuel policy towards non food-based biofuels due to concerns over rising commodity prices has irritated top biofuel-exporting nations Indonesia, Malaysia and Brazil. Background: On 23 January 2008, the Commission put forward proposals aimed at boosting the use of biofuels in transport fuels to 10% by 2020 amid growing concern over rising oil prices, energy security and climate change. But subsequent concerns about rising food prices and biodiversity loss as land is diverted to biofuel production, as well as questionable CO2 reduction values, led to calls for the reduction or outright rejection of the target. In September 2008, Parliament's Industry and Energy Committee, which has the lead on the dossier, approved a report drafted by Luxembourg Green MEP Claude Turmes, which while confirming the 10% target by 2020 specifies that at least 40% of this goal must be met from "non-food and feed-competing" second-generation biofuels or from cars running on green electricity and hydrogen (EurActiv 12/09/08). They also backed strict "sustainability criteria", including an obligation for biofuels to offer at least 45% carbon emission savings compared to fossil fuels and a series of social and environmental criteria. The main bone of contention in the report adopted by the Parliament's Industry and Energy Committee on 11 September is that it would require 40% of the EU's 10% biofuel goal to be met from "non-food and feed-competing" second-generation biofuels or from green electricity and hydrogen, while also demanding that agrofuels offer at least 45% carbon emission savings compared to fossil fuels - a figure that would rise to 60% in 2015.
A decision by a key European Parliament committee last week to beef up sustainability criteria for agrofuels and tilt the Union's biofuel policy towards non food-based biofuels due to concerns over rising commodity prices has irritated top biofuel-exporting nations Indonesia, Malaysia and Brazil. Background:
On 23 January 2008, the Commission put forward proposals aimed at boosting the use of biofuels in transport fuels to 10% by 2020 amid growing concern over rising oil prices, energy security and climate change.
But subsequent concerns about rising food prices and biodiversity loss as land is diverted to biofuel production, as well as questionable CO2 reduction values, led to calls for the reduction or outright rejection of the target.
In September 2008, Parliament's Industry and Energy Committee, which has the lead on the dossier, approved a report drafted by Luxembourg Green MEP Claude Turmes, which while confirming the 10% target by 2020 specifies that at least 40% of this goal must be met from "non-food and feed-competing" second-generation biofuels or from cars running on green electricity and hydrogen (EurActiv 12/09/08).
They also backed strict "sustainability criteria", including an obligation for biofuels to offer at least 45% carbon emission savings compared to fossil fuels and a series of social and environmental criteria.
The main bone of contention in the report adopted by the Parliament's Industry and Energy Committee on 11 September is that it would require 40% of the EU's 10% biofuel goal to be met from "non-food and feed-competing" second-generation biofuels or from green electricity and hydrogen, while also demanding that agrofuels offer at least 45% carbon emission savings compared to fossil fuels - a figure that would rise to 60% in 2015.
PARIS: The opposition left won 23 new seats in the French Senate on Sunday, a larger than expected advance, nearly complete results indicated. But the left could not gain control of the chamber, a longtime bastion of the right. Ballots were cast by delegates of city councils as well as some lawmakers and regional counselors in the indirect voting for a third of the 343 seats in the upper chamber, which has been controlled by the right for a half-century. About 50,700 delegates were eligible to vote. The Socialists and their allies won at least 23 new seats in the voting for 114 seats, including two snatched from the right in Corrèze, the one-time political fiefdom of former President Jacques Chirac. Results from overseas regions were not included.
PARIS: The opposition left won 23 new seats in the French Senate on Sunday, a larger than expected advance, nearly complete results indicated. But the left could not gain control of the chamber, a longtime bastion of the right.
Ballots were cast by delegates of city councils as well as some lawmakers and regional counselors in the indirect voting for a third of the 343 seats in the upper chamber, which has been controlled by the right for a half-century. About 50,700 delegates were eligible to vote.
The Socialists and their allies won at least 23 new seats in the voting for 114 seats, including two snatched from the right in Corrèze, the one-time political fiefdom of former President Jacques Chirac. Results from overseas regions were not included.
It seems possible that the Senate could move to the left when the other half is renewed, in 2011. Which would be an interesting change in France's political balance.
It also shows how the PS actually wins most elections except the presidential one : the PS is not geared to, nor able to, generate a popular leader supported by the rest of the party. Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères
An ETA car bomb attack on a military academy in Santoña last night has left one person dead and around eight others injured, including several passers-by. ... A warning call from an ETA representative was made to the offices of the DYA traffic agency in San Sebastián around half an hour before the bomb went off - insufficient time to evacuate the building. ... This attack follows two others on Saturday night/ Sunday morning in Vitoria and Ondarroa, the second of which left several people injured, including a number of innocent bystanders.
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A warning call from an ETA representative was made to the offices of the DYA traffic agency in San Sebastián around half an hour before the bomb went off - insufficient time to evacuate the building.
This attack follows two others on Saturday night/ Sunday morning in Vitoria and Ondarroa, the second of which left several people injured, including a number of innocent bystanders.
