PARIS, January 8 /PRNewswire/ -- "The subject of biofuels needs an open discussion about their
environmental and economic impacts. Billions of Euros for subsidies, rising
food prices, use of land, fertilisers and water are all critical issues",
said Jack Short, Secretary General of the International Transport Forum on
Monday in Paris on the occasion of the launch of the first web-debate of the
Forum on biofuels. "We invite all experts and interested persons to
participate in the biofuels debate on our website, the results of which will
stimulate the discussion at the International Transport Forum, to be held in
Leipzig 28-30 May 2008."
The debate is launched with an introductory statement by Dan Sperling,
Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science and Policy, and
founding Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the
University of California, Davis (ITS-Davis), in which he describes the
different categories of biofuels and examines their potential to mitigate CO2
emissions in the transport sector. Questions for the debate concern
volume-based targets for biofuels; which biofuels hold the most promise for
the transport sector, and whether subsidies designed to reduce CO2 emissions
are best used for biofuel production or better targeted elsewhere.
Ron Steenblik, Director of Research at the International Institute for
Sustainable Development in Geneva, was invited to find answers to these
questions. From his point of view, volume targets are about "the most blunt
instruments" that countries could have devised to promote biofuel use. He
regards subsidizing of first-generation biofuels as "inefficient".
Further comments and input will be posted on the Forum website
http://www.internationaltransportforum.org and a summary will contribute to
the 2008 Forum.
The International Transport Forum, part of the OECD family, is a
global platform and meeting place at the highest level for transport,
logistics and mobility. Key figures from government and politics, business
and industry, research and civil society will meet at the annual conference
in Leipzig, which has the ambition to become the "Transport Summit of the
Year". The first Forum will take place in May 2008 on the theme "Transport
and Energy: The Challenge of Climate Change". The involvement of more than 50
Ministers of Transport ensures direct links and strong relevance to policy
making at both national and international levels.
For more Information on the 2008 Forum see
http://www.internationaltransportforum.org/home.html.
Michael ZIRPEL
International Transport Forum
michael.zirpel@oecd.org
http://www.internationaltransportforum.org
International Transport Forum
