No more agrofuels that lead to hunger and environmental destruction – that is what the Swiss parliament has decided. terre des hommes schweiz and around 20 other organizations from the agrofuels platform succeeded in changing the law after five years of persuasion.
The parliamentary initiative on agrofuels was passed by Parliament last week. The initiative aims to curb the devastating effects of agrofuel production. Around 20 Swiss development, agricultural and environmental organizations of the Agrofuels Platform (terre des hommes schweiz is a member) can claim this success after five years of continuous public relations and lobbying work.
Tax breaks the Achilles’ heel
The new legislation tightens the existing criteria for tax breaks on agrofuels and sets them down in law. In order to receive tax relief for agrofuels, they must be produced under socially acceptable conditions and tropical forests must no longer be cut down to produce them. Even if agrofuels can continue to be produced without tax relief, the loss of tax relief makes the production and sale of fuel from maize, soya, sugar cane and palm oil economically unattractive.
Broadly supported demands
Both councils have clearly approved the initiative. With the criteria that have now been adopted, Parliament is fulfilling important demands of the petition “No agrofuels that lead to hunger and environmental destruction”, which was submitted in February 2011 by 35 Swiss organizations with 62,000 signatures.
