The history of biofuels in the European UnionFrom environmental saviour to Climate Bomb Trigger

Ph.D. Student, Jacob NordangårdDepartment of Thematic Studies, Technology and Social Change

Dissertation:Ordo Ab Chao, The Political

History of Biofuels in the European Union – Actors, Networks and Strategies

Defended: December 14, 2012

Analytical frame

• Mapping of actors and networks involved• Who sets the agenda and initiates the

political problem to be solved?• What are the triggering events?• Characteristics of the actor network?• Resource exchanges between actors?

Methodology

• Document studies• Content analysis• Reconstruction of the historical process

and the networks• Long time scale

• The history of how Climate Change/Energy Security became prioritized as problems (1950s – 1992)

• The history of biofuels in the EU (1992-2012)

1) Recognition of the problem – a potential environmental problem is acknowledged; often lead by think tanks as WRI, Royal Institute of International Affairs and Worldwatch Institute; Activists like Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace draw public attention to the problem. This is in some cases followed by a “trigger event” that spurs direct action.

2) Policy Formulation – a debate starts about how to solve the issue, environmentalists like Greenpeace thinks that proposals are too weak and late while business interests/lobby try to delay the game. In the end an agreement is reached.

3) Implementation – the legislation is implemented. The NGOs “draw attention to non-compliance or neglect”

4) Control – The environmental problem has been solved and put under control. In some cases it needs to be redone due to inefficiency

Policy Life Cycle

Actors

• Transnational companies/lobbyists• Non-Governmental Organisations• Think tanks• Research Institutes• Philantrophic foundations• Inter-parliamentary organisations• International organisations• European Union institutions• Member-states

Climate Change as a political issue

1973/4 - 1:st oil crisis

1979 – Three Mile Island

1986 - Chernobyl

1987 – Our Common Future

1988 – Summer heat

1989 – International campaigns

1990 – Energy for a New Century

“But what are the facts? Firstly, biofuel production and consumption capacities are limited. It will take years, decades and perhaps even longer for biofuels to achieve a 5% market share, which is the very most it can be assumed they will achieve. This is too low a market

share to pose a threat to anyone.” (Christiane Scrivener, 1992)

“Modern biofuel liquids have their own special hazards. Apart from competing with food crops for good agricultural land, their production generates large quantities of organic waste effluent, which if not used as a fertilizer can cause serious water pollution.” “All these and many

other problems, both large and small, will increase as renewable energy systems are developed.” (Our Common Future, 1987)

1992 – Biofuels as a solution

2000 – Higher oil price

The increase of crude oil prices in 2000 came as a surprise for most observers. In September 2000 oil prices reached a 10-year high. Over night, energy

policy and the subject of security of oil supplies have been put back on the political agenda.

(Loyola de Palacio)

2005 – Hurricanes and floods

2007 - Biofuels as a savior – the third industrial revolution

"Properly managed, biofuels have the potential to offer important benefits: they can help to reinforce energy security and reduce

greenhouse gas emissions. They also provide an important opportunity for industrial development, innovation and employment

promotion. We need to develop an EU biofuels policy which will meet our objectives of enhancing security of supply and tackling

climate change, while ensuring sustainable development."

Biofuels as a threat

2007-2008 – Food crisis

Sustainable Biofuels

GLOBE-EU

Club of Rome

E-NGO

EU-Parliament

EU-Kommissione

n

GLOBE International

GLOBE-Europe

European Climate

Foundation

Membercountries Prof. Schellnhuber

Mechtild RotheVittorio ProdiCaroline Lucas

Nationellaparlamentariker

Tomas Wyns (CAN)Jos Dings (T&E)

Opinions?

Samarbeten

London School of Economics

G8

BEE-Group

TällbergFoundation

Bo EkmanJan EliassonJohan Rockström

InternationalPhilantropy

IUCN

LEAD International

Björn StigssonR K Pachauri (TERI, IPCC)Satu HassiTony Juniper (FoE)Tomas Wyns (CAN)Jos Dings (T&E)Sanjev Kuumar (WWF)Frauke Thies (Greenpeace)

RockefellerFoundation

World Resources Institute McKinsey & Co

Dow ChemicalsFirst SolarGeneral ElectricHolcimProcter & GambleRockwoolUnilever

Ian Johnson

Anders Wijkman

Claude Turmes

Anders Wijkman (E)

Claude Turmes (I)

Anders Wijkman

Anders Wijkman

Claude Turmes

Anders Wijkman

Anders Wijkman

Ashok KhoslaAshok Khosla

Ashok Khosla

Crispin Tickell

Crispin Tickell

BiofuelsWorking Group

Anthony Burgmans

Pieter Winsemius

Jules Kortenhorst

Funding

Legislation

Martin Rocholl

Maurice Strong

Design to Win

Pieter Winsemius

Maurice Strong

Jules Kortenhorst

AnsvarigaRES-direktivetITRE – Turmes

ENVI - Wijkman

Lord DebenIan JohnsonLord Oxburgh

EnvironmentalManagement

Theories

Funding

Funding

Maurice Strong

Martin Rocholl

FabianSociety COM+

VärldsbankenGEF

UNEP

Networks

InternationalOrganisations

The Dutch Cramer commission

Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil

FAO Dutch Government UnileverGBEP Unilever WWFIFPRI AidEnvironment AidEnvironmentOECD Cargill HSBC BankREN 21 OxfamNovib IOIWorldWatch Institute Shell Oil OxfamNovibVärldsbanken IUCN RabobankWBCSD WWF Sawit WatchG8 Rabobank BothEndsGLOBE Greenpeace Solidaridad

Global Forest Coalition Wetlands InternationalFriends of the Earth Sumatran Orangutan

Society

Wetlands International

”NGO’s must get involved in helping to find the situations that work, and cooperate with industry in implementing them. The days when

NGO’s could remain on the outside looking in – like theatre critics on opening night – are gone. Now, they must join the cast of the play in

helping to put on an award-winning performance” (Björn Stigson, Advisor to Unilever, World Business Council on Sustainable

Development)

A web of actors

1973 1:st Oil crisis European energy policy1979 Three Mile Island Nuclear energy

questioned

1986 Chernobyl Climate issue initiated

1988 Summer heat in US The EEC admits AGW.

IPCC founded.

2000 Higher oil prices New energy package

Start of biofuels policy

process

2005 Extreme weather

Higher oil prices

Start of renewable

energy polcy process

2008 Global food crisis

Higher oil prices

Discussion of

Sustainable Criterias in

parliament

Triggering events

Problem

• Climate Change• Oil shortage/higher prices

Solution

• Renewable Energy• Biofuels• European energy cooperation

Problem

• Rain forest destruction• Leakage of greenhouse gases• Food crisis

Solution

• International certification• International trade agreements• Global governance and surveillance

Problems and solutions

"For biofuels to help us combat climate change, we must use truly sustainable biofuels. We must invest in biofuels that achieve real

emission cuts and do not compete with food. We are of course not closing down first generation biofuels, but we are sending a clear signal that future increases in biofuels must come from advanced

biofuels. Everything else will be unsustainable."

2012 - Biofuels revalued