EU Faces Dilemma: Biofuels or Electric Cars by 2035?

A report by campaign group T&E urges the European Commission to reject automakers' requests to use biofuels for cars beyond 2035 due to their limited supply and carbon footprint. The emphasis is on shifting towards electric vehicles, adhering to the EU's climate goals.

Campaign group T&E has called on the European Commission to dismiss automakers' appeals to allow the use of biofuels in cars beyond 2035. They argue the limited supply and questionable carbon neutrality of biofuels do not align with the EU's climate goals.

The EU has legislated that new vehicles must emit zero carbon dioxide by 2035, a move designed to accelerate the shift towards electric vehicles and phase out reliance on fossil fuels and combustion engines. Automakers, however, are lobbying for an exemption that would enable them to continue using carbon-neutral fuels for combustion engines and hybrids.

T&E's report highlights that biofuels from food crops reduce CO2 emissions by only 60% compared to fossil fuels and could lead to deforestation. They recommend more sustainable alternatives like fuels derived from municipal waste, but the supply is limited and already reserved for aviation and shipping.

(With inputs from agencies.)