Activities of Judith A. MERKIES related to 2012/0288(COD)
Plenary speeches (2)
Making the internal energy market work - Micro-generation (debate)
Making the internal energy market work - Micro-generation (debate)
Amendments (17)
Amendment 78 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) In order to ensure the long-term competitiveness of bio-based industrial sectors, and in line with the 2012 Communication ‘Innovating for Sustainable growth: A Bioeconomy for Europe’11 and the Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe12 , promoting integrated and diversified biorefineries across Europe, enhanced incentives under Directive 2009/28/EC should be set in a way that gives preference to the use of biomass feedstocks that do not have a high economic value for other uses than biofuels and that use waste materials for energy purposes only in accordance with the waste hierarchy.
Amendment 89 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3 a (new)
Recital 3 a (new)
Amendment 93 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Where pasture or agricultural land previously destined for the food, feed and fibre markets is diverted to biofuel production, the non-fuel demand will still need to be satisfied either through intensification of current production, which may result in biodiversity loss, water scarcity or soil erosion, water and soil pollution and loss of critical ecosystem services; or by bringing non-agricultural land into production elsewhere. The latter case represents indirect land-use change and when it involves the conversion of high carbon stock land it can lead to significant greenhouse gas emissions as well as to a loss of biodiversity. Directives 98/70/EC and 2009/28/EC should therefore include provisions to address indirect land use change given that current biofuels are mainly produced from crops grown on existing agricultural land.
Amendment 108 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Based on forecasts of biofuel demand provided by the Member States and estimates of indirect land-use change emissions for different biofuel feedstocks it is likely that greenhouse gas emissions linked to indirect land use change are significant, and couldwill negate some or all of the greenhouse gas savings of individual biofuels. This is because almost the entire biofuel production in 2020 is expected to come from crops grown on land that could be used to satisfy food and feed markets. In order to reduce such emissions, it is appropriate to distinguish between crop groups such as oil crops, cereals, sugars and oFurthermore, biofuel production from food crops contributes to food price volatility. In order to reduce such emissions and mitigate such negative effects on food security, it is appropriate to set up the 5% limit laid down in Article 3(4)d as well as take into account indirect land-use change emissions when calculating the greenhouse gas emission savings required under ther starch containing crops accordinglyustainability criteria set out in Directive 2009/28/EC and Directive 98/70/EC.
Amendment 122 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Liquid renewable fuels are likely to be required by the transport sector in order to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Advanced biofuels, such as those made from wastes and algae, provide high greenhouse gas savings with low risk of causing indirect land use change and do not compete directly for agricultural land for the food and feed markets. It is appropriate, therefore, to encourage greater production of such advanced biofuels as these are currently not commercially available in large quantities, in part due to competition for public subsidies with established food crop based biofuel technologies. Further incentives should be provided by increasing the weighting of advanced biofuels towards 10% targetlaying down a separate (sub)-target of at least 3% for advanced biofuels for transport set in Directive 2009/28/EC compared to conventional biofuels. In this context, only advanced biofuels with low estimated indirect land use change impacts and high overall greenhouse gas savings should be supported as part of the post 2020 renewable energy policy framework.
Amendment 129 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Liquid renewable fuels are likely to be required by the transport sector in order to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Advanced biofuels, such as those made from wastes and algae, provide high greenhouse gas savings with low risk of causing indirect land use change and do not compete directly for agricultural land for the food and feed markets. It is appropriate, therefore, to encourage greater production of such advanced biofuels as these are currently not commercially available in large quantities, in part due to competition for public subsidies with established food crop based biofuel technologies. Further incentives should be provided by increasing the weighting of advanced biofuels towards 10% target for transport set in Directive 2009/28/EC compared to conventional biofuels. In this context, only advanced biofuels with low estimated indirect land use change impacts and high overall greenhouse gas savSustainability criteria are required for advanced biofuels in order to ensure that they do not result in biodiversity loss or ecosystem services loss and do not compete with food for land, water or other resources. In this context, the increased weightings should be supported as part of the post 2020 renewable energy policy frameworknot be implemented for specific advanced biofuels until the adoption of sustainability criteria at Union level.
Amendment 140 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) The Commission should review the effectiveness of the measures introduced by this Directive, based on the best and latest available scientific evidence, in limiting indirect land-use change greenhouse gas emissions and addressing ways to further minimise that impact, which cshould include the introduction of estimated indirect land-use change emission factors in the sustainability scheme as of 1st January 2021sustainability criteria to be met for advanced biofuels.
Amendment 147 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7 a (new)
Recital 7 a (new)
(7a) Waste and by-products are defined by the Directive 2008/98/EC of 19 November 2008 on waste. Therefore, the same definitions should apply to the present Directive.
Amendment 191 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 11 a (new)
Recital 11 a (new)
(11a) The production of biofuels should not undermine the land rights of local and indigenous communities. Therefore special measures need to be introduced by the Union in the sustainability criteria to protect the land rights of these communities.
Amendment 219 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) The Commission should review the effectiveness of the measures introduced by this Directive, based on the best and latest available scientific evidence, in limiting indirect land-use change greenhouse gas emissions and addressing ways to further minimise that impact, which cshould include the introduction of estimated indirect land-use change emission factors in the sustainability scheme as of 1st January 2021establishment of appropriate sustainability criteria for advanced biofuels.
Amendment 258 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 2 – point a a (new)
Article 1 – point 2 – point a a (new)
Directive 98/70/EC
Article 7b – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 7b – paragraph 2 a (new)
(aa) the following paragraph 2a is inserted: "2a. Biofuels and bioliquids taken into account for the purposes referred to in paragraph 1 shall be made from raw material produced through sustainable land management practices that maintain or increase carbon stock of ecosystems, safeguard biodiversity and protect soil fertility and soil organic carbon; avoid soil erosion, promote conservation of water resources and have minimal impacts on water availability, quality, nutrient and mineral balances."
Amendment 296 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3
Article 3
The Commission shall, before 31 December 2017, submit a report to the European Parliament and to the Council reviewing, on the basis of the best latest available scientific evidence, the effectiveness of the measures introduced by this Directive in limitingould organize further detailed and transparent research aimed at quantifications of indirect land- use change greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of biofuel and bioliquids. The report shall, if appropriate, be accompanied by a legislative proposal based on the best available scientific evidence, forand report the findings before 1. July 2014. The report should also be accompanied by a legislative proposal to introducinge estimated indirect land use change emissions factors into the appropriate sustainability criteria to be applied from 1st January 2021 and a review of the effectiveness of the incentives provided for biofuels from non- land using feedstocks and non-food crops under Article 3(4)d of Directive 2009/28/ECin Directives 98/70/EC and 2009/28/EC by December 31, 2015.
Amendment 360 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point ii
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point ii
Directive 2009/28/EC
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 – point d
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 – point d
(d) for the calculation of biofuels in the numerator, the share of energy from biofuels produced from cereal and other starch rich crops, sugars and oil crops shall be no more than 5%, the estimated share at the end of 2011, and the share of renewable electricity used in road and rail, or the use of renewable fuels of non- biologic origin, shall be no less than 2.5%, of the final consumption of energy in transport in 2020.
Amendment 363 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point ii a (new)
Article 2 – point 2 – point c – point ii a (new)
Directive 2009/28/EC
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 – point d a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 – point d a (new)
(iia) the following point (da) is added: "(da) The contribution made by advanced biofuels shall be at least 3% of the final consumption of energy in transport in 2020."
Amendment 424 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 5 – point b a (new)
Article 2 – point 5 – point b a (new)
Directive 2009/28/EC
Article 17 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 17 – paragraph 5 a (new)
(ba) the following paragraph 5a is added: "5a. Raw materials used for biofuels and bioliquids for the purposes of paragraph 1 shall be produced through sustainable land management practices that maintain the growth of carbon stock of ecosystems, safeguard biodiversity, protect soil fertility and soil organic carbon, avoid soil erosion, and promote conservation of water quality, nutrient levels and mineral balances."
Amendment 480 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Investors shall take into account that biofuel production technologies are still under development and further measures to mitigate negative impacts may be adopted at a later stage.
Amendment 541 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex II – point 3
Annex II – point 3
Directive 2009/28/EC
Annex IX – part A – point b
Annex IX – part A – point b
(b) Biomass fraction of mixed municipal waste, but not separated household waste subject to recycling targetsseparate collection under Article 11(2)(a1) of Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives.