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German case study on agrofuels presented by Mireille Hönicke, BUKO Agrar Koordination

German case study on agrofuels presented by Mireille Hönicke, BUKO Agrar Koordination August 31st 2009 at the International Workshop Global Agrofuels: Sustaining What Development? 30 August – 3 September, 2009 in Maputo, Mozambique. Content. Agrofuels in Germany

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German case study on agrofuels presented by Mireille Hönicke, BUKO Agrar Koordination

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  1. German case study on agrofuels presented by Mireille Hönicke, BUKO Agrar Koordination August 31st 2009 at the International Workshop Global Agrofuels: Sustaining What Development? 30 August – 3 September, 2009 in Maputo, Mozambique

  2. Content • Agrofuels in Germany • Government promoting agrofuels • German business • Stimulating global agrofuel production • Agrofuel policy: key arguments and assumptions • German development cooperation • Summary & Conclusion

  3. Agrofuels in Germany • Leading agrodiesel producer and consumer country • Germany imports 50% of its biomass used for energy • In 2007 formulation of ambitious climate targets • reduce GHG-emissions by 40% in 2020 • Promoting agrofuels • Since 2004 tax incentives, farming subsidies and from 2007 on binding mixing quota • Biofuel Quotas Act: 5.25% in 2009 / 6.25% in 2010-14 • In 2007 agrofuels had a share of 7.3% of total transport fuel

  4. Agrofuel targeting from 2007 to 2009 Sources: BMU, 2009a; BMWi / BMU, 2007. • According to the German Automobile Club (ADAC): 3 million cars in Germany were technically not aligned to use an increased ethanol blending up to 10%.

  5. Government promoting agrofuels • New energy strategy • transport sector need to be independent from fossil fuel • reduce GHG-emissions • Growth rate of transport emissions undermine the GHG-reduction targets (EU Renewables Directive: 20% by 2020) Minister of Environment: “the former discussion about increasing biofuel mixing quotas […] was more about meeting the interests of agriculture to provide a stable and growing biofuel market and a special interest of the car industry.”

  6. Transport GHG emissions Source: European Environment Agency

  7. The „Roadmap Biofuels“ • 2007: joint strategy from government, automobile and mineral oil industry, agrofuel sector and agriculture. • Massive criticism came from German CSOs, since they were excluded from this process. increase agrofuel target 2nd generation agrofuels (BtL) Sustainability & GHG-saving potential

  8. German business • Agrofuel sector: • problems in using overall capacity: changes in tax incentives, reduced quota, financial crisis, low oil prices. • Automobile- and mineral oil industry: • promoting 2nd generation agrofuels (BtL) • Provide environmental and climate friendly image • BtLs are promoted as a secure and sustainable energy supply • “put no threat on food production and reduce GHG-emission by 90%.” (Volkswagen)

  9. Stimulating global agrofuel production • Export Initiative: Technology transfer to developing countries • German development cooperation supports investments • Public private partnership projects (PPP): German agrofuel producer PROKON is cultivating jatropha in Tanzania • “The project is sustainable, because it creates an additional and secure income for the farmers.” • Energy agreement with Brazil • Securing stable supply with raw materials • Agrofuels: trade issues and certification • CSOs: contribution to destroy eco systems and foster human rights violations

  10. Agrofuel policy: Key arguments and assumptions • The use of agrofuels will reduce GHG emissions and contribute to climate change mitigation • The expansion of agrofuel production will improve Germany’s energy security • The production of agrofuels will contribute to rural development in the global south • German development cooperation

  11. Assumption 1: Reduce GHG emissions Government: • Optimizing GHG-reduction potential and energy efficiency • 2nd generation agrofuels are more efficient • Sustainability criteria will protect the climate: • minimum of 35% GHG-savings Criticism: • Parliament advisory council: low GHG savings of agrofuels • Policy should favour the use of biomass for heat and electricity • CSOs demand at least 50% GHG-savings • cultivation of energy crops on set-aside land and ploughing of permanent grassland increased • Indirect land use changes are not included in the German ordinance

  12. Assumption 2: Improve energy security Government: „Biofuels are currently the sole renewable alternative in the mobility sector.“ Criticism: • Rapeseed cultivation is almost exhausted (12% of total cultivation area) • Without changing the energy mix (heat and electricity), energy security is not much enhanced • Agrofuels produced in Germany are not competitive • promotion of energy security at the expense of a locally decentralized use of biomass and • an increased dependency on imports

  13. German development cooperation • In 2006 promoting agrofuels as a large and sustainable contribution to world energy economy • GTZ pushed agrofuel development in Tanzania • causing already severe problems for the people and environment. • In Germany public discussion about poverty reduction and combat against hunger • CSOs: “The business is done by multinational corporations and great land owners.” • Debate on „Food versus Fuel“ contributed to the reduced agrofuel targeting

  14. German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) • In 2008 developed strong criteria to assess agrofuel projects • Priority is given towards the right to food • Promoting a regulatory framework: • sustainability criteria • National food security and biomass strategies • With current agrofuel production it is questionable whether these mechanisms take effect • BMZ slows down the implementation of agrofuel projects

  15. GTZ agrofuel projects • Two PPP projects with Brasil Ecodiesel and with Petrobras • strengthen small farming sector and open up new markets • Supporting the Brazilian Biodiesel Program: • Inclusion of small-scale farmers through the Social Fuel Seal • So far only 24% of total production from small-scale farming • Main crop used for agrodiesel is soy • GTZ projects: low productivity and insufficient increase in income • Ownership, land property relations and access issues?

  16. Summary & Conclusions • Parliament advisory council recommends to stop agrofuel mixing quota • Government trying to save agrofuel targets through technology solutions (BtL) and adaptive measures • Neglecting domestically decentralized agrofuel and biomass production • Increasing dependency on imports and stimulating global agrofuel production at the expense of food security and nature protection • BMZ developed criteria to assess agrofuel projects • Further debate on impacts of agrofuels: inclusion of small-scale farmers.

  17. Thank you very much for your attention!

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