Draft guidelines for sustainable biofuel production focuses on food security

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Chennai, Aug 24: The draft guidelines on the `Principles for sustainable biofuels' has laid stress on food security, conservation of environment and rights of local communities. The draft document released by the Switzerland-based steering committee of the Roundtable for Sustainable Biofuels contains "international standards for guaranteeing that biofuels originate from environmentally sustainable sources". They could also be used to compare environmental/social impacts of biofuel alternatives," says a note from the International Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications (ISAAA). The RSB is a multi-stakeholder initiative of the Energy Center, Swiss Federal Technical Institute, Lausanne, Switzerland. Spiralling fuel prices have brought biofuel to the centre-stage of energy crisis management plans in many countries. The global interest in biofuels has been considered as a potential threat to food security. The principles for sustainable biofuels would help the growth of biofuels without compromising on food security. The document has outlined principles for sustainable biofuels:

1. Legality: Biofuel production shall follow all applicable laws of the country in which they occur, and shall endeavour to follow all international treaties relevant to biofuels' production to which the relevant country is a party. The key guidance includes laws and treaties relating to air quality, water resources, soil conservation, protected areas, biodiversity, labour conditions, agricultural practices and land rights.

2. Consultation, planning and monitoring: Biofuels projects shall be designed and operated under appropriate, comprehensive, transparent, consultative, and participatory processes that involve all relevant stakeholders. The intent of this principle is to diffuse conflict situations. For new, large-scale projects, an environmental and social impact assessment, strategy, and impact mitigation (EISA) covering the full lifespan of the project is proposed.

3. Climate change and greenhouse gas emissions: Biofuels shall contribute to climate change mitigation by significantly reducing GHG emissions, as compared to fossil fuels. This principle aims to establish acceptable standard methodology for comparing the GHG benefits of different biofuels.

4. Human and labour rights: Biofuel production shall not violate human or labour rights and shall ensure decent work and the well-being of workers.

5. Rural and social development: Biofuel production shall contribute to the social and economic development of local, rural and indigenous peoples and communities.