Greens win support for sustainable biofuels on Green Day

The Green Party is optimistic about the future of biofuels now that the Government has signalled support for the Green’s Sustainable Biofuel Bill being introduced tonight.

“Without sustainability standards, National’s biodiesel subsidy has the same problem that Labour’s biofuel sales obligation initially had - no protection for the world’s hungry or for the environment,” Jeanette Fitzsimons, Green Party Energy Spokesperson said today.

“I am delighted that the Government will give this bill an honest hearing.”

Last year the Labour Government introduced a bill to require companies selling motor fuel to sell a small proportion of biofuel. The Green Party negotiated an amendment to ensure that the biofuel was from sustainable sources. The amendment ruled out fuels made from food crops, made by destroying biodiversity, or which did not significantly reduce carbon emissions.

The incoming National Government repealed the legislation a few months after it was passed, preferring a subsidy for biodiesel to a mandatory obligation, but also dropping the sustainability standards.

This Member’s Bill re-instates the legal framework for selling sustainable biofuels in New Zealand without violating World Trading Organisation (WTO) obligations. It does not distinguish between imported and locally produced biofuel, but requires both to meet the sustainability standard.

The core provisions have already been through both the Select Committee process and Parliament. They remain unchanged in Ms Fitzsimons’ bill.

“Today is Green Day in the House, as every single bill being considered today is a Green Party bill,” Ms Fitzsimons said.

“I am proud that two of today’s bills are mine, tackling different ways of adapting transport in the light of climate change.

“Two of the votes on other bills today will be personal votes for all MPs, indicating the gravity of the bills that the Greens bring to the House,” Ms Fitzsimons said.

Jeanette’s sustainable Biofuel Bill can be downloaded at:
http://www.greens.org.nz/node/21326