Talk:RSB principle on Socio-economic development
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| RSB principles and criteria (Version 0) | edit | |
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| Note: This RSB-related page is not actively updated. For up-to-date information on the RSB, see the BioenergyWiki RSB page or the RSB Website The RSB has released "Version 2.0" of the "Principles on Sustainable Biofuel Production" | 
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Biofuel production shall contribute to the social and economic development of local, rural and indigenous peoples and communities.
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Management of the ESIA process
REGARDING ' 5.a The ESIA carried out under 2a and monitoring required under 2b shall result in a baseline social assessment of existing social and economic conditions and a business plan that shall ensure sustainability, local economic development, equity for partners, and social and rural upliftment through all aspects of the value chain. "
Governments allowing businesses to develop biofuels projects within their country shall have in place a program for the management of the ESIA process.
Human rights and land tenure rights must be legally protected and violations should cause the project to be shut down if necessary. Businesses allowed to conduct biofuels projects shall be required to post bonds to set aside funds for full correction of damage done by the project. Impacted citizens must be compensated adequately for harm to themselves and the community.
The government's program must include laws for protection and monitoring of water quality, endangered species, soils, forests, etc. The process should include criteria for how well the projects meet RSB Principles and a process for adding to their criteria new information on issues such as the degree to which the project mitigates climate change and CO2 emissions as well as issues such as new information about the health impacts of biofuels processing. For example, in Iowa in the US, biofuels processing releases significant amounts of greenhouse gas.
Developers of projects should fund an independent review board that reviews company's regular required reports on the impacts of the project and makes recommendations to the government when additional regulation is necessary - or even stopping a damaging project. In particular, degradation of soils and water quality should be monitored. This review board shall provide this information to the public. An example of oversight would be the European Renewable Fuels Agency, but it must be independent. If businesses violate the law and do not follow sustainability standards, the government must not only require their correction, they must publicize these problems internationally.
Doris Celllarius
