Biofuels Working Party meets with policy makers

As part of its ongoing investigation, the Council’s Working Party on New Approaches to Biofuels met with senior policy makers in July to discuss the policy issues raised by biofuels.

Policy representatives from governmental and national institutions attended the meeting, including speakers from the Renewable Fuels Agency, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

A number of questions were debated, including:

• What are the effects of existing biofuels policy?


• What issues could new approaches to biofuels raise?


• Should ethics play a role in the development of biofuels? If so, what ethical principles should underpin future policy development?


• How could policy help to promote and regulate the development of biofuels that were sustainable and commercially viable?

The Working Party is continuing with its investigation and will publish a report with recommendations in spring 2011.