Martina Fleckenstein – WWF Germany

Expanding sustainability criteria to other biomass uses than biofuels and

bioliquids Biomass Futures Project

30. 11. 2010

Content

1. Sustainable Biomass Current State and Trends

2. Global Sustainability Requirements

3. Metastandard Approach

4. Conclusion

1Sustainable ProductionCurrent State and Trends

Trends (1)

Development of industry-driven initiatives and labels

Legal requirements

EU Renewable Energy Directive Forest Law Enforcement,

Governance and Trade (FLEGT)

Trends (2)

Proliferation of certification schemes and labels

Confusing numbers of certification schemes

No guideboard for consumers and producers

No joint approach and benchmarking scheme

Market Transformation

6

Performance Curve

Regulation

Performance

Shift

Best Performance

Use market forces to drive performance

Improve impacts of 60% of operators

Environmental performance

Num

ber

of

pro

duce

rs

Erneuerbare Energien Konzept (August 2010)Zur Bereitstellung nachhaltiger Biokraftstoffe „[…] ist ein auf Zertifizierung basierender transparenter Handel unter Einbindung der Landwirtschaft, der Energiewirtschaft und der Abfallwirtschaft erforderlich.“Aktionsplan Stoffliche Nutzung (Sept. 2009)„Schaffung und Anwendung von internationalen Standards und Zertifizierungssystemen für die nachhaltige Erzeugung von agrarischen nachwachsenden Rohstoffen für stoffliche Zwecke in Anlehnung an bestehende internationale Zertifizierungssysteme als Zwischenschritt auf dem Wege zur Schaffung global gültiger Nachhaltigkeitskriterien für die Erzeugung agrarischer Biomasse.“

 Koalitionsvereinbarung Bundesregierung (Okt. 2009)“Initiativen für eine international wirksame Nachhaltigkeitszertifizierung [zu] ergreifen, die sowohl die Kraftstoff- und Stromproduktion als auch die Nutzung für Lebens- und Futtermittel umfasst”

Political Framework in Germany

Mandatory sustainability requirements only for a small part of biomass use

Biomass

Conversion

Upgrading

Trade

Consumers

EnergyChemical/ technical

applications Food and feed

Renewable Energy Directive

BioKraft-NachV

BioStr-NachV

Source: Meo

Challenges for sustainability for material use of biomass

Proof of sustainable production

Acceptance of an „industry standard“

Generally accepted

standards of sustainability

Set of rules and suitable

systems

Chain of Custody (mass balance)for complex value supply chains

Product-related GHG-

balancing

Challenges

Quelle: Meo

2Global Sustainability Requirements

Definition for setting a credible sustainability standard

Focused on key impacts (social, economic and ecologic)

Based on objective and measurable performance

Developed in compliance with ISEAL‘S Code of Good practise for Setting Social and Environemental Standards

Multi-stakeholder approach (from Industries to Smallholders) and Transparency at all level

Created by a Consensus

Compliant with relevant national and international laws

Based on sound science

Globally applicable and adaptable to local/regional needs

Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS)

International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC)

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)

Better Sugar Initiative (BSI)

Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuel (RSB)

Credible Sustainability Certification Schemes

Benchmarking

ISCC RSPO RTRS RSB BSI FSC

1.

Minimizing or eliminating the most important environmental and social negative impacts of the comodity/ product

2.

Based on objective and measurable performance

3.

Developed in compliance with ISEAL‘s code of Good Practice for Setting Social and Environmental Standards

4.

Involved a diverse group of stakeholders

Benchmarking

5.

Created by consensus

6.

Compliant with relevant national and international laws

7.

Science based

8.

Third party indepentent certification

ISCC RSPO RTRS RSB BSI FSC

Requirements on Principles

1. Reducing GHG emissions2. Protection and maintenance of land with high

carbon stock3. Protection of land with high biodiversity value4. Maintenance of soil quality and productivity5. Efficient use of water and maintenance or

enhance the quality of the water resources used6. Prohibition or avoidance of air pollution7. Efficient use of technologies and use of

agrochemicals, and waste management

Ecological Principles

Requirements on Principles

1. Respect land rights2. Respect working rights and ensure fair labour

conditions3. Food security

Social Principles

Economical Principles

1. Increase efficiency2. Boost local benefits

3.MetastandardApproach

Benchmarking of established systems against the Metastandard

Metastandard Concept

ISCC RSPO RSB FSCBSIRTRS

Metastandard(ecological and social principles and criteria for

the production of agricultural commodities)

Commodity specific certification

Benchmarking

Even so private and other voluntary sustainablitity initiatives may qualify!

Metastandard – pro and cons

Benefits of the Metastandard approach

Avoid duplication/ re-inventing the wheel

Higher acceptance

Availabilitiy in the short term

Cost effectiveness

Influencing existing

standards

Harmonizing existing

standards

Metastandard - pro und cons

Limitation of a Metastandard Approach

Changes in the Metastandard do not apply

directly

Introduction of minimal

Standards

Existing/ qualifying

standards do not cover all commodities

Framework for a Metastandard

Modularity level of requirements Modularity level of scale

CoC

GHG

Ecological/ social

Economical

Scale

Silver

Gold

Minimal requirements

Bronze

Principles

Requirements must refer to different levels of the Metastandard-System

Silver

Gold

Minimal Requirements

Bronze

Sustainability CoC GHG Water

•No Go Areas•Book and claim •none •none

•No Go Areas•Ecological 1•Social 1

•Mass balance

•GHG (default) •Water

•No Go Areas•Ecological 2•Social 2•Economical

•Mass balance •GHG •Water

•No Go Areas•Ecological 3•Social 3•Economical

•Segregation •GHG 3 •Water

Requirements must apply to different steps within the supply chain

Agricultural Requirements

• Sustainability Ökologisch Sozial Ökonomisch

• Chain of Custody

Segregation Mass balance Book and claim

• THG Footprint

• H2O Footprint

Processing Requirements

• Sustainability Ökologisch Sozial Ökonomisch

• Chain of Custody

Segregation Mass balance Book and

claim

• THG Footprint

• H2O Footprint

Refinement Requirements

• Sustainability Ökologisch Sozial Ökonomisch

• Chain of Custody

Segregation Mass balance Book and claim

• THG Footprint

• H2O Footprint

Retailer Requirements

• Sustainability Ökologisch Sozial Ökonomisch

• Chain of Custody

Segregation Mass balance Book and claim

• THG Footprint

• H2O Footprint

Meta-System

Minimal requirements

4.Conclusion

Expansion of sustainability standards to all uses of biomass and all feedstock

Important step towards globalization of environmental and social sustainability standards

Implementation of comparable framework conditions for agricultural production on a global scale

Opening up of a huge potential for the reduction of GHG emissions and prevention of loss of biodiversity

Important step towards the decarbonization of the economy

Establishment of sustainability as an important criteria of differentiation in global agricultural and bioenergy markets

Recommendations to German Government

1. Policy recommendation:

a. Support a Metastandard systems as voluntary guidelines on national level (Action plan at national level)

b. Initiate an international process for defining sustainable land use criteria focused on sustainable production

2. Economic incentives a. Grants or subsidies for a sustainable product

b. Funding schemes for sustainable production

c. Support market access (e.g. bio-based leading market initiative)

3. Granting of credit (financial sector)

Policy recommendations

4. Development of regulatory taxes (Sanctions)a. Increasing the existing environmental and energy taxes to enable a

corresponding reduction of subsidies supporting bio energy production and use.

b. Regulatory taxation for the material use of non-renewable, fossil carbon resources

5. Tax instruments (Incentive)Proposal of staggering VAT guided by greenhouse gas emission savings

6. Labelling as consumer driven instrumentBetter world logo as guideline for consumer

Bronce StandardSilver StandardGOLD StandardBetter World Logo

Global Sustainability Requirements for Agriculture Commodities- Feasibility Study and Pilottest

1. Analyses of the political and economical framework conditions

2. Recommendations for the implementation of global sustainability standards (esp. Focus on policy recommendations)

3. Pilot tests from different economic sectors (chemical industry, food and feed industry)

4. Dialogue with experts (national consultance of experts, European conference)

With support of

Thank you

Martina FleckensteinWWF Deutschland

030-308742-11fleckenstein@wwf.de