Group dressed as ‘angry foods’ petitions energy minister to stop biofuels bill

Don't Burn Our Future supporters dressed as giant food to make their point biofuels are a "greenwash" as the advocacy group delivered a peititon to stop a new law requiring the fuel be mixed in with petrol and diesel in New Zealand. Photo / Supplied

An advocacy group dressed as food products has petitioned the Minister of Energy and Resouces to stop a biofuels bill from going ahead, calling it a “greenwash”.

Don’t Burn Our Future’s Jake Roos, dressed as a giant Shrewsbury biscuit, said biofuels presented a greater risk to the environment than conventional fuels as the demand on land and crops required for its manufacture was “unsustainable”.

The Sustainable Biofuels Obligation Bill would require fuel suppliers to blend biofuel into all petrol and diesel sold in New Zealand and has had its first reading in Parliament. Submissions on the proposal are open until next month.

The Herald earlier reported the new law was intended to reduce emissions from cars, trucks, trains and ships.

Minister for Housing and Urban Development Dr Megan Woods. Photo / NZME

Biofuels are renewable, low-emissions fuels derived from biological matter such as plants, animal wastes, forest residues and other organic materials.

Low Carbon Kāpiti’s Don’t Burn Our Future campaign delivered the petition, with 3000 signatories including Greenpeace and Oxfam Aotearoa, to the Minister of Energy and Resources Megan Woods.

“The legislation from the EU that the Government’s bill is based on has had horrific effects, clearing rainforests the size of the Netherlands and tripling carbon emissions compared to doing nothing,” Roos said.

“Sustainable biofuel doesn’t exist in any significant quantities and the Government’s policy won’t change that. Instead, this bill will put food in our fuel tanks, whether we like it or not.”

The group called the requirement to mix biofuels in with conventional fossil fuels “the worst kind of greenwash. The Government should drop it.” They also argued biofuels were susceptible to fraud.

“That’s why we’re dressing up and stating the obvious: Don’t burn food.

“The billions the policy would force New Zealanders to spend on biofuels is better spent on climate solutions that actually work, like public and active transport, electric vehicles and wind and solar energy to power them.”