German Environmental Aid demands end of agro-fuel subsidies

Together with Smartwatch, Deutsche Umwelthilfe is planning an action on April 7 in front of the Federal Ministry for the Environment to illustrate and criticize the use of grain as agrofuels in vehicle tanks. Under the motto "No More Food in the Tank," the two organizations are calling on the federal government to stop state subsidies for agrofuels with immediate effect. DUH and Smartwatch cite as reasons that the addition of agrofuels made from grain, rapeseed & co. to fossil fuels has consequences for the climate and biodiversity due to the large amount of land required. Secondly, they point to the emerging food crisis due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Competition with Food Production

DUH defines agrofuels as fuels based on vegetable oils and fats that are mixed with fossil fuels; the environmental organization purposely distances itself from the term "bio" fuels in this context. According to DUH, land is necessary for the production of agrofuels, which would otherwise be available, among other things, for growing food. This, in turn, leads to the conversion of previously unused areas, such as forests and moors (which DUH refers to as CO2 sinks), into agricultural land – with negative consequences for the climate and biodiversity, according to the statement.

No Longer Counted as Renewable Fuel

The organization points not only to the need for a fundamental mobility transformation involving the shift of traffic from road to rail, strengthening public transportation, and reducing emissions, but also to the European Renewable Energy Directive, which includes requirements for the use of fuels from renewable sources in the transport sector. DUH's demand: Agrofuels should no longer be counted as renewable fuel in transport. Direct electrification as a propulsion technology should be promoted. For the same mileage, the generation of solar power for electric vehicles requires 97 percent less land than agrofuels.

Land relief achieved through the demanded phase-out of agrofuels should be used to make suitable areas available for renaturation. According to DUH, fertile agricultural land should be prioritized for nature-compatible food production.