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Join our campaign to stop the EU from including a 10% biofuel target, advocating for strict EU car efficiency standards. Learn why large-scale biofuel expansion is harmful and discover real solutions to combat climate change.
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Biofuels –Campaign context • Big Ask has been all about a strong Climate Change Bill. • Now it’s time to start looking at solutions as well as some of the false solutions • The large scale expansion of biofuels is one of these dangerous false solutions. • Key opportunity this summer to stop EU biofuel targets
Biofuels - what are they? Any type of fuel made from organic matter.Some are good:Recycled cooking oil, biogas from waste etc. (but only small amounts available) But the majority are bad:Large scale monocultures of crops like oil palm, soya, maize etc. grown in countries of the Global South to fuel cars in the North.
Why are they bad? • Bad for the environment • Bad for people • Bad for the climate
Carbon cycle of biofuels + CO2 + CO2 + CO2 + N2O - CO2 + CO2 + CO2 = - CO2 or+CO2 (compared to fossil fuel) (compared to petrol)
What are the real solutions? Reducing fuel demand through • Better planning (local shops etc.) • Better public transport • Better cycling facilities • More fuel efficient cars (opportunity in EU regulation)
Aim of the campaign • To stop the EU from including a 10% biofuel target into the Renewable Energy Directive • To get strict EU targets for car efficiency
Key players • MEPs voting in the Environment and in the Energy Committee in July and in the plenary in September. • The UK Government's position is also important in the Council of Ministers
MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) • 78 in the UK in total (3-9 per region) • We concentrate on 1-3 priority MEPs in each region • Less used to be lobbied directly than MPs: more susceptible to pressure • EU elections next year: vulnerable • Regional & local media is key
Materials for the summer of action • Campaign guide • Postcards • Leaflets • Posters • Individual MEP profiles • www.foe.co.uk/biofuels
The summer of action • Have an initial lobbying meeting with your MEP in June • Raise public awareness and get postcards signed throughout the summer • Present the completed postcards to them at the end of the summer, and use the handover to get media attention
Which kind of group are you? • Link groups: volunteer to coordinate lobbying of the MEP in June, and present postcards in August, and act as point of contact for satellite groups. • Satellite groups: volunteer to engage in public campaigning targeted at an MEP, but any direct contact with the MEP comes via the link group.
Practice Session • Lobby the public about biofuels