Skyrocketing grain prices lead critics to question EU biofuels mandate.

摘要

As a result of an ongoing drought pushing grain prices to historical highs, critics of the EU biofuels industry are calling on the European Commission (EC) to reassess their biofuels mandates that calls for 10% of all transportation fuels to be biofuels by 2020 as fears over a food crisis grow. Critics point to the fact that some studies point to the fact that some biodiesel utilized within the EU does not actually reduce GHG emissions. Last week, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization called on the US to suspend its ethanol mandate to help stem rising corn and food prices, and the EU fears it could also be asked to suspend its biofuels mandates. Individual member states are hearing calls to suspend certain mandate from domestic groups. In Germany, the ministry of economic cooperation has asked that the use of E10 gasoline be completely suspended for the time being.