The European Parliament's environment committee (ENVI) voted in favour of legislation to cap the percentage of biofuels in European renewable energy transport targets at 5.5%.
Subject to approval, the ENVI committee has also voted for the implementation of indirect land use change '(ILUC) factors'.
These are calculations designed to account for additional emissions rising from ILUC, a process by which the displacement of crop production onto previously unused land leads to the conversion of forests and savannah to agriculture.
The outcome of the 43-21 vote has been cautiously welcomed by green campaigners, who argue that this is a step in the right direction, although the use of food for fuel should be phased out altogether.
Moreover, the Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE), which is jointly leading on this issue with ENVI in the European Parliament, recently voted in favour of a 6.5% crop-based biofuels cap and against the incorporation of 'ILUC factors'.
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