EU Renewable Energy Directive 2008



Posted on 20 December 2008  | 
In December 2008 the EU agreed on the Renewable Energy Directive. The Directive establishes an overall EU target of 20% renewable energy to be used in electricity generation, heating and cooling and a target for individual Member States to deliver 10% renewable energy in transport. The transport energy target has generally been referred to as the “biofuel target” mainly because it was expected that a significant share or all of it would be met by biofuels.

As a result of the growing evidence on the potential impacts of large scale bioenergy development and the concern voiced by numerous stakeholders, the Directive establishes minimum sustainability criteria for bioenergy production and consumption and makes the 10% dependent on sustainably available supply. As a result of WWF’s consistent lobbying in Brussels and in several Member States the Directive evolved in many areas and to a degree addresses almost all of the issues of concern raised by WWF.

However the final outcome is a mix of good and bad outcomes and much work is still needed. Read more in the attached summary.

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