Mandatory requirements in relation to air, soil, or water protection: analysis of need and feasibility [as part of Study on the operation of the system for the biofuels and bioliquids sustainability scheme]
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The report concludes that considerable potential risks to sustainability from biofuel cultivation exist, particularly risks to soils and to water quality and water availability. Given these risks to valuable non-renewable resources, introducing some form of environmental safeguards is necessary to avoid further aggravation of existing adverse impacts. Mitigation of these risks is critical not only for the sustainability of the resource base but also for en suring continued provision of associated societal needs, including food and other ecosystem services. It is evident that the soil, water and air risks from feedstock cultivation for biofuel are on the w hole the same as the risks from any kind of agricultural expansion. However, the study has found that in many situations, biofuel markets bring additional pressure on the areas under existing agricultural use and have acted as an important driver in the intensification and expansion of intensive agriculture into areas with challenging soil conditions in particular. Promoting good agricultural practices for the production of feedstocks used for biofuels, both within and outside the EU, through the RED, is likely to contribute to the mitigation of the risks identified.
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- Produced by Winrock, IEEP and Ecofys on behalf of EC
- Type:
- Report
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