Biofuels sector organisations from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay have signed a document calling on countries to define regulatory frameworks that guarantee the progress of investments in the region
On Thursday (27/10), entities representing the biofuels sector in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay launched the Manifesto in Defence of Biofuels as a way of expressing their firm conviction that it is essential that all governments comprehensively promote the energy transition strategy for the development of the sector, both for vehicle, air, river and maritime transport.
The Manifesto highlights the importance of defining regulatory frameworks that ensure the advancement of investments in biofuels and scientific and technological research so that countries can meet the commitments made for decarbonisation in the Paris Agreement, taking advantage of the capacities of their agricultural and livestock chains.
«South America has fundamental resources to be a world leader in the production of clean and renewable energy, contributing to reduce dependence on fossil energy to move the economy. However, this attribute is far from being explored in its immense potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from crucial sectors such as urban, intercity, river, maritime and air transport,» the Manifesto highlights.
The partnerships stress the importance of urgent action by governments, business and the community to drive the energy transition. «We need leaders and parliaments committed to this new agenda and a clear regional roadmap that can responsibly combine the different technology pathways for the energy transition. The cost of inaction will be far greater than the most ambitious sustainability agenda we can imagine».
The initiative represents a milestone for the entities to start acting in an aligned way to build an action plan to support the aviation, maritime and heavy transport sectors to overcome the challenges of decarbonisation.
At the end of the document, the entities set out their main objectives:
- We advocate for the creation of stable regulatory frameworks and clear rules that provide the necessary legal certainty to increase investment in the sector and thus the expansion of productive capacity and industrialisation in the rural areas of the Americas.
- We advocate clear roadmaps and long-term energy planning that confirm states’ choices and increase investor confidence.
- We advocate the creation of a regional energy transition plan in terms of financing and policy alignment in the face of climate change and the resources available to the region to address it.
- We advocate for the governments of South American countries, together with civil society, the business sector and international partners, to take bolder action, commensurate with the magnitude of the opportunities and challenges facing the region and the world.
- We advocate for Latin America to become a region with a fully clean, renewable and sustainable fuel matrix by 2050 through firm, gradual and unrelenting commitments.
Signatories
Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries (ABIOVE)
Association of Biofuel Producers of Brazil (APROBIO)
Alcoholes del Uruguay (ALUR)
Chamber of Biofuels of Argentina (CARBIO)
Chamber of the Argentinean Oil Industry (CIARA)
Chamber of Corn Bioethanol
Paraguayan Chamber of Biofuels and Renewable Energies (BIOCAP)
Pan-American Chamber of Advanced Biofuels (CAPBA)
Argentine Sugar Centre (CAA)
National Biofuels Federation of Colombia (FedeBiocombustibles)
International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Unión Nacional del Etanol de Maíz (UNEM) (National Corn Ethanol Union)
Union of the Sugar Cane and Bioenergy Industry (Unica)
TESTIMONIALS
«It is imperative to find a solution to the pollution and environmental impact of fossil fuels. Latin America has a great solution that requires aligned and clear state policies».
Luis Zubizarreta
President of the Argentinean Biofuels Chamber (CARBIO)
«Biofuels have been around for half a century and, despite the many economic and environmental advantages, the expansion of their use is still too slow. The mobilisation of the entities is a warning about the need to break down barriers and build regulations that allow us to speed up the process. We are losing time.
André Nassar
CEO of Abiove
«The coming together of all these entities shows common sense and the recognition that it is necessary to mobilise actions in the direction of valorising local assets for biofuel production, while developing the whole value chain involved, generating employment and promoting the economy, while materialising as a short-term, low-investment solution for an effective transition to a cleaner energy matrix.»
Francisco Turra
Chairman of the Board of APROBIO
«This declaration is a milestone for the global energy matrix, in particular for South America. The chambers have initiated a profound dialogue on the design of new paradigms for regional renewable energy. We are confident that this signifies the beginning of a South American industrial revolution in renewable energy and can give a regional brand to biofuels. Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay can develop as a commercial and logistical centre for the production of clean and renewable energies. It is the beginning of a path of joint actions to strengthen South American industries and propose strong public policies in this area. Joining forces is the best way to contribute together to the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG)».
Erasmo Carlos Battistella
Director of the Board of Directors of APROBIO
«This declaration is a milestone for the regional energy matrix. The chambers have initiated a profound dialogue on the design of new paradigms for regional renewable energies. We are sure that this means the beginning of a South American industrial revolution in renewable energy and can give a regional brand to biofuels. Paraguay can develop as a commercial and logistical centre for the production of clean and renewable energies. It is the beginning of a path of joint actions to strengthen South American industries and propose strong public policies in this area. Joining forces is the best way to contribute together to the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG)».
Massimiliano Corsi
President of the Paraguayan Chamber of Biofuels (Biocap)
«As an industry, we support the call for Latin American governments to implement public policies that support the development of biofuels, including sustainable aviation fuels. We are a region rich in natural resources and have enormous opportunities to lead in production and distribution, meeting the highest standards of sustainability and bringing income to local economies, small producers and societies at large. Biofuels have a key role to play, not only for air transport decarbonisation goals, but also in meeting states’ commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change».
International Air Transport Association (IATA)
«We have the opportunity to consolidate South America as the global hub for bioenergy and sustainable mobility, offering the world part of the solution for decarbonisation, with ethanol and other biofuels. To achieve this, it is necessary to consolidate public policies that guarantee predictability and legal certainty for investors, recognising the positive environmental and socio-economic externalities of biofuels for society.»
Evandro Gussi
President of the Brazilian Association of the Sugarcane and Bioenergy Industry (UNICA)
