The European Commission (EC) has adopted a new delegated act which sets out the criteria for determining high ILUC-risk feedstock for biofuels along with the criteria for certifying low indirect land-use change (ILUC) risks induced by biofuels, bioliquids and other biomass fuels. This announcement comes in the wake of the previous recast Renewable Energy Directive adopted previously by the European Parliament and the European Council.
The production of biofuels may have an indirect negative impact due to ILUC, which can occur when agricultural or pasture land initially meant for food and feed market purposes is diverted to biofuel production. As food and feed demand still needs to be fulfilled, the development of biofuel crops indirectly leads to the extension of agriculture land into areas with high carbon stock such as forests, peatlands and wetlands. Then, it induces a rise in CO2 emissions that could offset and even negate emission savings from the use of biofuels instead of fossil fuels.