Biofuels introduced to UK petrol and diesel

The Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) aims to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from transport by using alternative fuels to petrol and diesel.

Biofuels will be added to the fuel at source, with the aim of making fuel less polluting, but green groups have voiced concern at the move.

Current thinking is swiftly moving away from the position that biofuels represent a cleaner version of fuel for transport.

Deforestation to make way way for water-intensive crops casts doubt on whether using biofuels is any cleaner than using fossil fuel, while concerns over the decline of food crops have also raises suspicion over the sustainability of biofuel crops.

Some scientists suggests that using biofuels actually increases the rate of carbon dioxide emissions. CO2 is an abundant greenhouse gas, though to contribute to climate change.

Green groups and charities such as Oxfam, Friends of the Earth and the RSPB are staging a protest at the introduction of the 2.5% minimum - set to rise to 5% in 2010 - to raise attention to the issue.

Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said CO2 reductions and the UK's efforts to source sustainable biofuels made the RTFO a good idea.

"We will not increase biofuels targets beyond 5% unless we are satisfied this can be done without damaging the environmental impacts," he said.

Green groups say transport emissions would be better reduced through improved funding of public transport.

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