The European Commission (EC) is being taken to court over its refusal to release information that could show that biofuels do more harm than good.
Britain is required by European law to use renewable sources in transport fuel to meet 10 per cent usage target by 2020 – a target which will be met in large part through the use of biofuels despite questions over their environmental impact.
A coalition representing green groups throughout Europe, including the Transport & Environment (T&E), Environmental Transport Association (ETA), ClientEarth and European Environmental Bureau wants the EC to release 140 documents which detail the negative environmental impact of widespread biofuel use in the EU.
The group alleges several violations of European laws designed to promote transparency, democracy, and legitimacy in EU policy-making.
Andrew Davis, Director of ETA, a British organisation represented in the legal action, said: "Motorists cannot be expected to know the ins and outs of every fuel that is or could be on offer. There must be complete transparency if biofuels are to be seen as credible."
The efforts to gain access to the information began on October 15, 2009 – more than 144 days ago. Following intense internal deliberations and multiple extensions, the Commission refused to turn over the documents by the statutory deadline set for February 9, 2010.
The controversy over biofuels centres on indirect land-use
change (ILUC) – the release of greenhouse gas emissions when forests and other natural areas are converted into agricultural land to replace those croplands lost to biofuel production.
"The public’s right to this information is a fundamental principle of European law. That the Commission should choose to deny our rights on such a critical issue as the science underpinning our climate policies is astounding," said Tim Grabiel, Staff Attorney at ClientEarth, the public-interest legal organisation representing the coalition.
"It is regrettable that the Commission’s consistent obstructionism compels us to go to court," he added.
