EU Parliament Blocks Soy Diesel Phase-Out; Environmental Group Demands National Regulation
Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) criticizes the EU Parliament's decision to block the planned phase-out of soy diesel. The organization now calls on the German government to cease national subsidies for soy diesel.
Berlin – The environmental organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) has sharply criticized the European Parliament's decision to block the planned phase-out of soy diesel. According to DUH, this continues to allow a fuel that fuels the destruction of valuable ecosystems in South America and is highly damaging to the climate.
DUH's Federal Director Jürgen Resch stated that the decision upholds support for a business model that destroys rainforests and savannas for supposedly green diesel. He emphasized that the scientific evidence against soy diesel is overwhelming, but a majority of MEPs did not consider it. Resch called on the German government to end soy diesel subsidies domestically, following the example of countries like France, Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
The EU Parliament's decision goes against the scientifically based recommendations of the European Commission. Furthermore, it prevents an update to a delegated act, which would have been a prerequisite for a WTO-compliant EU withdrawal from palm oil diesel. This could lead to significant trade policy repercussions, as Indonesia, for example, might retaliate with trade measures against the EU worth up to $5.6 billion annually.
DUH's other Federal Director, Sascha Müller-Kraenner, described the blockade as politically irresponsible regarding both climate and trade. He highlighted that the German government's strategy for greenhouse gas reduction had relied on EU-level measures for soy diesel. As this strategy has failed, the government must now act quickly on a national level and ensure that soy diesel is no longer counted as climate-friendly in Germany.