Practicing stewardship: EU biofuels policy and certification in the UK and Guatemala
Biofuels have transitioned from a technology expected to deliver numerous benefits to a highly contested socio-technical solution. Initial hopes about their potential to mitigate climate change and to deliver energy security benefits and rural development, particularly in the Global South, have unra...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Published: |
Springer
2017
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49424/ |
| _version_ | 1848797992972189696 |
|---|---|
| author | Helliwell, Richard Tomei, Julia |
| author_facet | Helliwell, Richard Tomei, Julia |
| author_sort | Helliwell, Richard |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Biofuels have transitioned from a technology expected to deliver numerous benefits to a highly contested socio-technical solution. Initial hopes about their potential to mitigate climate change and to deliver energy security benefits and rural development, particularly in the Global South, have unravelled in the face of numerous controversies. In recognition of the negative externalities associated with biofuels, the European Union developed sustainability criteria which are enforced by certification schemes. This paper draws on the literature on stewardship to analyse the outcomes of these schemes in two countries: the UK and Guatemala. It explores two key issues: first, how has European Union biofuels policy shaped biofuel industries in the UK and Guatemala? And second, what are the implications for sustainable land stewardship? By drawing attention to the outcomes of European demand for biofuels, we raise questions about the ability of European policy to drive sustainable land practices in these two cases. The paper concludes that, rather than promoting stewardship, the current governance framework effectively rubberstamps existing agricultural systems and serves to further embed existing inequalities. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:12:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-49424 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:12:42Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Springer |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-494242020-05-04T18:53:13Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49424/ Practicing stewardship: EU biofuels policy and certification in the UK and Guatemala Helliwell, Richard Tomei, Julia Biofuels have transitioned from a technology expected to deliver numerous benefits to a highly contested socio-technical solution. Initial hopes about their potential to mitigate climate change and to deliver energy security benefits and rural development, particularly in the Global South, have unravelled in the face of numerous controversies. In recognition of the negative externalities associated with biofuels, the European Union developed sustainability criteria which are enforced by certification schemes. This paper draws on the literature on stewardship to analyse the outcomes of these schemes in two countries: the UK and Guatemala. It explores two key issues: first, how has European Union biofuels policy shaped biofuel industries in the UK and Guatemala? And second, what are the implications for sustainable land stewardship? By drawing attention to the outcomes of European demand for biofuels, we raise questions about the ability of European policy to drive sustainable land practices in these two cases. The paper concludes that, rather than promoting stewardship, the current governance framework effectively rubberstamps existing agricultural systems and serves to further embed existing inequalities. Springer 2017-06-30 Article PeerReviewed Helliwell, Richard and Tomei, Julia (2017) Practicing stewardship: EU biofuels policy and certification in the UK and Guatemala. Agriculture and Human Values, 34 (2). pp. 473-484. ISSN 0889-048X Biofuels ; Certification ; Guatemala ; Land use ; Stewardship ; UK https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10460-016-9737-9 doi:10.1007/s10460-016-9737-9 doi:10.1007/s10460-016-9737-9 |
| spellingShingle | Biofuels ; Certification ; Guatemala ; Land use ; Stewardship ; UK Helliwell, Richard Tomei, Julia Practicing stewardship: EU biofuels policy and certification in the UK and Guatemala |
| title | Practicing stewardship: EU biofuels policy and certification in the UK and Guatemala |
| title_full | Practicing stewardship: EU biofuels policy and certification in the UK and Guatemala |
| title_fullStr | Practicing stewardship: EU biofuels policy and certification in the UK and Guatemala |
| title_full_unstemmed | Practicing stewardship: EU biofuels policy and certification in the UK and Guatemala |
| title_short | Practicing stewardship: EU biofuels policy and certification in the UK and Guatemala |
| title_sort | practicing stewardship: eu biofuels policy and certification in the uk and guatemala |
| topic | Biofuels ; Certification ; Guatemala ; Land use ; Stewardship ; UK |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49424/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49424/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49424/ |