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Agrofuels and oil palm plantations

The promotion of agrofuels as a form of renewable energy is proving to be one of the European Union’s biggest policy mistakes.

EU agrofuels policies are aggravating climate change. They have become a key driver of forest and biodiversity loss, land-grabs and conflicts, and human rights abuses in producer countries such as Indonesia. Increasingly, agricultural land needed to produce food is being reallocated to grow crops for agrofuels to fuel cars rather than to feed hungry people. [more]

Biofuels gridlock continues into 2014

DTE 98, March 2014

Indecision and uncertainty on EU biofuels policy persists, as communities in Indonesia continue to suffer the impacts of oil palm expansion.

DTE Newsletter 96-97 full edition for download

DTE 96-97, December 2013

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Agrofuels: impacts in Indonesia, time for policy change in Europe, DTE Special Edition newsletter

Fix the policy!

DTE 96-97, December 2013

Biofuels - once promoted as the silver bullet for climate change - have turned out to be one of the European Union’s biggest policy mistakes.

CSOs tell EU to ‘stop grabbing Indonesia’s land for biofuels’

DTE 96-97, December 2013

A crucial vote on biofuels in the European Parliament on September 11th 2013 has failed to fix a flawed policy which is driving deforestation, landgrabbing and human rights abuse, while undermining communities' food sovereignty in producer countries like Indonesia.

Europe’s agrofuels imports: check the reality on the ground in Indonesia

DTE 96-97, December 2013

Bondan Andriyanu of Sawit Watch, visited Berlin, Brussels and Strasbourg in September 2013. The aim was to convey to Europe’s policymakers the urgent need to reform the EU’s policies on agrofuels due to their harmful impacts in Indonesia.

Prior to the trip to Europe, DTE interviewed Bondan about his organisation, and his intentions in Europe.

AMAN accuses oil palm and pulp companies of rampant deforestation

DTE 96-97, December2013

Despite progress in international policies and the regulatory frameworks, despite commitments from political financial and industry leaders, these businesses are responsible for rampant forest destruction for oil palm and timber plantations, stealing from indigenous peoples, encroaching on their lands and resources, and destroying their culture and identity.

Why not Wilmar?

DTE 96-97, December 2013

The name Wilmar looms large in the Europe-Indonesia agrofuels picture.  This Singapore-based company sells Indonesia-made biodiesel to Europe as well as selling oil palm feedstock for making biodiesel in Europe.