10/06/2010 (Commodity Online), Washington -  Palm Oil is the most efficient vegetable oil for biofuel and the campaign that coversion of forests for palm oil leads to widespread increases in emissions in misleading, according to the NGO World Growth.

It said research studies support the conclusion that palm oil is the most efficient vegetable oil for biofuels in anticipation of the EU Energy Commission's expected affirmation of current biofuel rules on Thursday.

Chairman Alan Oxley, former Ambassador to the GATT -- predecessor to the WTO, issued the following statement:

“Whatever Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger announces on Thursday, he will remain bound by the protectionist decision of the European Parliament to limit imports of biofuels from foreign sources like palm oil in favor of more expensive and less sustainable European biofuels.

“No matter how the Commission tries to dress up its policy on biofuels, Brussels is denying to European consumers effective, low cost, and -- in the case of palm-based biofuel -- environmentally sustainable products. The root cause is reversion by the European Union to its timeworn practice of using protectionist measures to block agricultural imports and hinder production in developing countries.

“While the Commission insists the Renewable Energy Directive does not flout WTO rules, trade lawyers dissent. This is simply political rhetoric masking ugly truth. EC officials have buckled yet again to pressure from the environmental lobby -- Greenpeace, WWF, and Friends of the Earth -- to use ‘green’ trade barriers.

“World Growth encourages the EU to drop import restrictions and accept palm oil as a sustainable and carbon friendly biofuel. Adding new and fuzzy standards like land use change will just restrict imports more.

"Palm oil-based biofuels not only reduce Europe’s carbon footprint, they reduce poverty in developing countries.”

World Growth is a non-profit, non-governmental organization established with an educational and charitable mission to expand the education, information and other resources available to disadvantaged populations to improve their health and economic welfare.