Final Moratorium Call on Promotion of Agrofuels

2nd October 2008

To: Coreper, the Council of Ministers, the European Commission, Claude Turmes (MEP) CC: ITRE and ENVI

Re: EU agrofuel targets

Dear Madam, Sir, In light of the upcoming negotiations between the Council, the European Commission and Claude Turmes (MEP) on the Renewable Energy Directive, the undersigned organisations are calling on  you once again, with the utmost urgency, to drop all agrofuel targets and to install a moratorium on the promotion of agrofuels and agro-energy. Despite overwhelming evidence of numerous ... read more

Posted on 03:31 PM in Agro Fuels, Joint Open Letters, Indonesia, Publications, Environment & Climate
Tags: agrofuel ("biofuel"), European Union (EU), Indonesia, land rights, palm oil, environment and climate

(Deutsch) Osttimor am Scheideweg
Chaos oder Neuanfang?

Sorry, this entry is not available in English.

German version

Posted on 12:31 AM in Economy, Labor & Corruption, Elections & Political Parties, joint studies and reports, History & Overview, Human Development, Human Rights, East Timor, Politics & Democracy, Publications, Society & Religion, State- & Nation-Building, Transitional Justice, Watch Indonesia! in the Media
Tags: Government of Germany, development, European Union (EU), history and overview, violence, José Ramos-Horta, crisis 2006, East Timor, political parties, transitional justice, elections, Xanana Gusmão

The EU’s responsibility in the global food crisis:

19th June 2008

(note: you can also read a French translation of this letter)

Trade liberalisation and deregulation are “false solutions”

Letter addressed by more than 35 European civil society organisations, networks and social movements to EU trade, agriculture and energy ministers ahead of the European Council.

To: Trade Ministers, Agriculture Ministers, Development and Energy Ministers MEPs and National Parliamentarians of EU Member States CC: EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson EU Agriculture Commissioner Marianne Fischer Boel EU Development Commissioner Louis ... read more

Posted on 02:43 PM in Agro Fuels, Joint Open Letters, Indonesia, Publications, Environment & Climate
Tags: food security, European Union (EU), Indonesia, palm oil, environment and climate

Bali Declaration: Protecting the world’s forests needs more than just money

10th December 2007

Governments meeting in Bali, Indonesia for the 13th Conference of the Parties/3rd Meeting of the Parties to the United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), 3-14 December 2007, need to recognise that this may be our last opportunity to stop runaway climate change and that with 18-20% of annual carbon emissions being caused by deforestation, protecting our forests is a key part of this. This problem is made even more important because forests are a key part ... read more

Posted on 03:36 PM in Agro Fuels, Joint Press Releases & Statements, Indonesia, Publications, Rainforest, Environment & Climate
Tags: agrofuel ("biofuel"), European Union (EU), indigenous people, Indonesia, carbon, rain forest destruction, environment and climate, World Bank

Fuel Quality Directive should put the burden on the oil industry – not promote agrofuel expansion

Monday, 26th November 2007

Vote ENVI Committee 27th November

To: Members of the Environment Committee of the European Parliament

Dear MEP, The undersigned organisations welcome the proposed measures in the Fuel Quality Directive to force the fossil fuel industry to clean up and reduce emissions, and to prevent even dirtier fuels from getting to the market. We believe that article 7a is a positive step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions in order to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. However, ... read more

Posted on 08:16 AM in Agro Fuels, Joint Open Letters, Indonesia, Publications, Environment & Climate
Tags: agrofuel ("biofuel"), European Union (EU), Indonesia, environment and climate

Call On The EU To Abandon 10% Biofuel Target

21 September 2007

THOMSEN REPORT (A6- 0287/2007 – ITRE): “A ROADMAP FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY IN EUROPE”, 26th SEPTEMBER VOTE (24th SEPTEMBER DEBATE)

The undersigned organisations call on the European Parliament to drop support for the proposed 10% target for biofuel use in the transport sector (point 43, Thomsen report) and to support amendments to this effect. Growing and compelling evidence suggests that this target will further contribute to highly destructive impacts on the climate, biodiversity, communities and food security. The 10% target ... read more

Posted on 03:55 PM in Agro Fuels, Joint Press Releases & Statements, Indonesia, Publications, Environment & Climate
Tags: agrofuel ("biofuel"), biodiversity, food security, European Union (EU), carbon, land rights, rain forest destruction, environment and climate

Response of environmentalists to Malaysian and Indonesian Palm Oil PR initiative

8th June 12007

Press release

Prepared by Watch Indonesia! and www.biofuelwatch.org

The Malaysian and Indonesian governments, and Malaysian Palm Oil Council, are undertaking a PR tour promoting Palm Oil production. This week a series of talks and seminars with EU legislators are being given in London, Brussels and Holland. http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BT/Monday/Nation/BT625654.txt/Article/ http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=42181&newsdate=28-May-2007 European policy makers must be aware that there are many unanswered concerns remain for European NGOs about the sustainability and human rights of Palm Oil production. These are critical ... read more

Posted on 09:27 AM in Agro Fuels, Joint Press Releases & Statements, Indonesia, Publications, Environment & Climate
Tags: agrofuel ("biofuel"), European Union (EU), indigenous people, Indonesia, palm oil, rain forest destruction, environment and climate

Open Letter to the Members of European Parliament – Re: EU Biofuel Policy

4th June 2007

URGENT: re amendments and vote on the Draft Opinion on A Roadmap for Renewable Energy in Europe (Rapporteur: Britta Thomsen)

Dear Madam/Sir, As you know, the European Commission is currently working on a proposal for a revised Biofuels Directive, expected to be published in autumn. According to these plans, 10% of all transport fuels have to be biofuels by 2020. Many organisations now prefer to call biofuels ‘agrofuels’, since the word ‘bio’ fuels creates an image ... read more

Posted on 09:41 AM in Agro Fuels, Joint Open Letters, Human Rights, Indonesia, Land & Indigenous Rights, Publications, Environment & Climate
Tags: agrofuel ("biofuel"), poverty, biodiversity, food security, European Union (EU), indigenous people, Indonesia, land rights, human rights, palm oil, rain forest destruction

Letter to Ministers to abandon EU biofuel targets

Februrary 2007

Dear Minister,

OVER 160 ENVIRONMENTAL, DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL ORGANISATIONS CALL UPON THE EU TO ABANDON BIOFUEL TARGETS.

In the build up to the EU Council meeting of Energy Ministers on February 14th, we are writing to you to highlight the concern of many organisations worldwide about proposed EU targets for biofuels. We are calling on you and your government to reject the proposal for EU-wide targets for biofuel use. At the time of writing over 160 organisations from Europe and the ... read more

Posted on 09:56 AM in Agro Fuels, Joint Open Letters, Indonesia, Publications, Environment & Climate
Tags: agrofuel ("biofuel"), European Union (EU), Indonesia, palm oil, rain forest destruction, environment and climate

Open letter to European Commission Biomass Action Plan and the European Biofuel Directive

Berlin, January 3, 2007

Dear Madam, dear Sir,

on January 10th, 2007, the European Commission is going to make an announcement about the review of the Biomass Action Plan and the European Biofuel Directive.

In December 2006, the European Parliament recognized that the lack of clear environmental standards and safeguards could have significant negative effects, such as an increase in tropical deforestation, agriculture intensification and biodiversity losses in Europe and abroad, while failing to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

For producer countries like ... read more

Posted on 09:05 PM in Agro Fuels, Human Rights, Indonesia, Land & Indigenous Rights, Publications, Rainforest, Environment & Climate, Watch's Open Letters
Tags: agrofuel ("biofuel"), European Union (EU), Indonesia, land rights, palm oil, plantations, rain forest destruction, environment and climate