Friends of the Earth Europe believes that the current rush to develop agrofuels is ill-conceived and will contribute to an already unsustainable trade in plant-based oils whilst not solving the problems of climate change or energy security.

Agrofuels (also called biofuels) are liquid fuels produced from agricultural crops. They are promoted as a way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing our dependency on conventional mineral oil. In reality agrofuels often deliver poor greenhouse gas savings and some of them pose a threat to ecosystems that act as vital carbon sinks. A more effective way to reduce greenhouse gases and secure energy supply is to reduce demand, improve efficiency and develop sustainable transport systems. Agrofuels are no substitute for these priorities.