Environmental Groups Urge IMO to Ditch Biofuels, Warn of Deforestation Risks
Environmental organizations are pressing the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to reject biofuels as a low-carbon option for the shipping industry, arguing that their expanded use could worsen deforestation, land grabbing, and climate change. Biofuelwatch and the Global Forest Coalition (GFC), along with 65 other groups, submitted an open letter ahead of the IMO’s upcoming discussions on low-carbon fuel standards.
The letter warned that biofuel expansion, particularly in the Global South, poses significant environmental and social threats. It also called for stricter sustainability criteria to prevent the negative impacts of biofuel production.
Brazil, the world’s second-largest biofuel producer, has emerged as a vocal supporter of biofuels in the shipping sector. The country...