Responsible Commodities Initiative
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Bioenergy > Initiatives > Sustainability standards > Responsible Commodities Initiative
The "Responsible Commodities Initiative" is a multi-stakeholder process sponsored by the Sustainable Food Laboratory, based in the United Kingdom.
Relevant Websites:
- Biofuels: Responsible Commodities Initiative
- Benchmarking Tool - This tool was developed through a comparative analysis of current certification and labeling schemes in order to establish "a common understanding of the scope, objectives, and processes that underpin existing systems across a range of commodities".
Contents |
Overview
Key supporters: Unilever, JP Morgan Chase, Agro-Adeco, Soros Investment, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) US.
Objective: Sponsor research to support recommendations for policy makers and investors in biofuels.
Rationale:
"Biofuels represent a major new phase in the development of agricultural commodities. Biofuel crops require more than just production standards to ensure sustainability. They also require net energy balance calculations, net carbon balance calculations--both carbon to air and carbon to soil--as well as net greenhouse gas balance calculations. Since many of the first generation biofuel crops happen to be food crops, many people are concerned about their potential distorting effect on food markets.
Bio-fuels present a compelling investment case and hold out promise as a source of renewable energy, an alternative to fossil fuels, and a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But not all biofuels are created equal. Different crops and production practices result in substantial differences in impacts. In order to direct investment funds to bio-fuel projects that will hold the most potential, the industry needs to understand and make decisions based on these differences. This information is important not just to farmers but also to the investors, policy-makers, and corporations that are driving the rapid increase in biofuels."[1]
Stakeholders: Rainforest Alliance, The Nature Conservancy Brazil, Shell, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, University of Surrey, Worldwatch Institute
History
Events
- 12-16 February 2007, London, UK: Bio-Fuels and Sustainability
Agendas
Documents
Publications
See books, reports, scientific papers, position papers and websites for additional useful resources.
- Sustainable Bio-Fuels Development Research and Synthesis (pdf) - Sustainable Food Laboratory, October 2006.
Contacts
Notes
| Sustainability standards | edit | |
| Organizations/Initiatives: Better Sugarcane Initiative | Forest Stewardship Council | Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels | Responsible Commodities Initiative | EU: GAVE | LowCVP
Policy proposals: Green Biofuels Index | ||
| Initiatives | edit | |
| Sustainability standards
Multi-stakeholder initiatives: Responsible Commodities Initiative, Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels, Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil | ||
