A global biofuels organization is urging world leaders to recognize the environmental benefits of renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel.

The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) is calling on delegates to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen December 7-18 “to seize the historic opportunity to recognize the environmental importance of biofuels and begin to develop strategies to ensure that biofuels play an even greater role in meeting global climate change objectives.”

GRFA released an position paper this week summarizing greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategies in the transportation sector that take advantage of the verifiable emission reductions available from biofuels. “With transportation responsible for 25% of the world’s GHG emissions and rising, it is critical that biofuels form the core of any future mitigation strategy in this important sector,“ said GRFA spokesman Bliss Baker. “Adopting sustainable biofuels programs can deliver real GHG reductions while reducing a crippling reliance on imported fossil fuels for many developing nations.”

GRFA outlines several actions to be recommended at the conference, including the adoption by governments of biofuels-friendly policies in the transport sector, and that policies take into account the increasing efficiency of global biofuels production in developing policies as opposed to relying on out-of-date data and outdated arguments. They also urge all governments to base an indirect land use change (ILUC) policy on transparent and unequivocal scientific evidence only.

GRFA also continues to call on the World Bank, the United Nations and other international bodies to increase investment in the agricultural sector of developing nations and to support expanded biofuels production in these regions.

Read the GRFA position paper here.