The UK is pushing for discussions on reducing the amount of biofuel used globally by 10% to be on the agenda of Sunday’s G7 summit.
But the government could also act unilaterally to reduce the amount of crops used in British biofuels.
Dustin Benton, Green Alliance policy director and former adviser on the government’s food strategy, said reducing crop-based biofuels would almost certainly mean temporarily lifting the E10 requirement in the backyards, because the UK could not guide it. towards alternative sources of consumption. biofuel fast enough.
It is understood that Grant Shapps, the Secretary of Transport, is wary of the measure due to the short-term impact on vehicle emissions. The measure should be offset by a faster adoption of electric vehicles to avoid damaging the UK’s net zero ambitions.
“Unviable” net zero policy
The measure would be the latest shift in the government’s approach to net zero as it addresses the cost of living crisis.
On Thursday, Kwasi Kwarteng, the business secretary, said he would consider the case of fracking next week, following the results of an open scientific review following the war in Ukraine.
He has also advocated the development of a new gas field in the North Sea, arguing the need to be “realistic about our energy needs now.”
MP Steve Baker, a member of Net Zero Watch, said: “Once again, we see that the net zero policy is economically, socially and politically unviable.
“As much as we want to take care of our environment, we also need to implement policies that adapt to reality.”
Environmental groups argue that moving away from fossil fuels is the only way the UK has to ensure short-term energy independence and reduce energy costs.
Benton said reducing the use of biofuels would not necessarily have a negative environmental impact.
“There’s a very easy solution here,” he said. “And that’s increasing the pace at which we’re picking up electric vehicles, and of course, public transportation, trains, everything else.”