Activities

1. Climate change mitigation

• Transport related Greenhouse Gas emissions are on the rise, making it the only sector in Europe where progress is not made. Transport decarbonisation policies of the EU have failed to bring about the change needed to meet the 2 degrees target, let alone the 1.5 degrees target scientists increasingly see as a more appropriate climate goal. Road transport will need to be decarbonised now, not in the future.
• Policies will need to tap the potential in existing technologies to reign in climate change. Alternative fuels are needed in the existing vehicle fleet to replace fossil fuels (oil). The vast majority of the cars on road in 2030 will still be running on oil. According to EU’s models “oil products would still represent 86-87% of the EU transport sector needs in 2030”. Clearly, better policies are needed.
• Our aim is to advance sustainable low carbon fuels, such as ethanol and European biodiesel, to contribute to climate change mitigation.

2. Policies

• EU climate, energy, transport and agriculture policies all need to reflect latest science and advance measures that have a proven track record. Few industries are capable of providing an attractive future in rural environments whilst contributing to climate change mitigation and energy independence as well as advancing farming and the bioeconomy.
• Our aim is to contribute to policy-making that delivers results in climate change mitigation, increases renewable energy use, contributes to energy independence, fosters rural development, advances farming and improves the air.

3. Economic impact & Rural development

• Biorefineries bring manifold benefits, including stimulating rural renaissance. Jobs are created and maintained, the local economy boosted, farming and circular economy advanced. Biofuels are the cornerstone of the bioeconomy not just in V4+ countries but in the EU as a whole.
• The biorefineries in the V4 countries provide thousands of jobs, contribute to GDP, stimulate investments in farming and allow for more food, feed, fuel and bio-based materials to be produced. As an illustration, Pannonia Bio’s impacts are summarised here.
• Our aim is to advance the bioeconomy in the V4+ countries and bring about rural development benefits.

4. Air quality

• Air quality has long been a pressing problem in Europe. Hundreds of thousands of people die prematurely as a result of air pollution. In the V4 countries alone more than 70 thousand premature deaths are attributable to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) each year.
• It is a little-known fact in Europe that ethanol improves the air. By replacing the toxic components (aromatics), ethanol emits less particulate matters (PM) compared to petrol. In the US this fact has long been in the center of policy-making, but the discussion in the EU and V4+ countries lags behind.
• Our aim is to launch the debate about how best road transport can contribute to improve air quality in the V4+ countries.

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