Environmental Pillar

Lobbying Organisation Environmental Pillar

Date published 16 Jan, 2018

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Environment

Period 1 Sep, 2017 to 31 Dec, 2017

Specific Details EU bioenergy policy: How to avoid losing credibility

Intended results Minister to lobby in the Council of Ministers to ensure that bioenergy use in the EU delivers genuine climate benefits over fossil fuels,

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Michael Ewing

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (1)

we call on you to: 1) Exclude stem-wood and stumps from renewable energy incentives (article 26.5-6). In addition: • Oppose the introduction of an overall target for renewables in the heating sector, unless this excludes the above (article 23.1) • End public support for highly inefficient electricity-only bioenergy and co-firing with coal (article 26.8) 2) Phase out support for all crop-based biofuels - whether bioethanol or biodiesel (art 25). In doing so: • Ensure that support for crop-based biofuels from all crops, including food, feed, energy and cover or catch crops, is phased out as soon as possible (article 2 and 25) • Oppose the inclusion of new categories such as “low ILUC risk biofuels”, for which certification methodologies are very complex and undeveloped (article 2 and 25) 3) Oppose an overall target for renewables in the transport sector, something that would drive increased use of unsustainable crop-based biofuels, and ensure that any blending obligation only incentivise

Letter (1)

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Denis Naughten Minister (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)

Mark Griffin Secretary General (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)

Brian Carroll Assistant Secretary (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)