Dear Commissioners Potocnik and Oettinger
Congratulations on your new role in the EU Commission.

I have read with concern a copy of a draft communication from the Commission to the Council and Parliament on the issue of biofuels (“Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the practical implementation of the EU biofuels and bioliquids sustainability scheme and on counting rules for biofuels”). I am hoping that in your new role you will be able to amend some of this draft to ensure that biodiesel from unsustainable palm oil does not contribute to the EU’s renewable energy targets.

The draft document states that “a change from forest to oil palm plantation would not per se constitute a breach of the criterion” because palm oil plantations can be defined as “continuously forested areas”. To call a palm oil plantation a forest is to make a grave error. It is well documented that the conversion of tropical forest to palm oil plantations causes massive biodiversity loss and, even more importantly in this context, greenhouse gas emissions.

The existing demand for palm oil is already responsible for massive rainforest destruction in Indonesia and Malaysia. These and other countries are now ramping up production to meet rapidly rising biofuel demand. By including biodiesel from palm oil in the obligatory EU biofuel mix we will be further accelerating rainforest destruction and causing even more greenhouse gas emissions. I find it appalling that the Commission intends to ensure that Member States cannot apply stricter sustainability standards than the ones you impose. This is tantamount to forcing palm oil on EU countries, whether they like it or not.

Sustainable biofuels may have a role to play in a climate friendly energy mix. Biodiesel from palm oil does not. The Commission should be doing all it can to ensure that the vast majority of palm oil does not count towards the renewable obligations, however with this draft document it appears that the Commission is bending over backwards to ensure palm oil gets through.

I understand that there is still an opportunity to rectify this mistake and avoid the terrible consequences it would cause. Please could you ensure that your colleagues on the Commission amend the draftbdocument and give a clear communication to the Parliament and Council that biodiesel from palm oil plantations on tropical rainforest cannot meet EU sustainability criteria.