How many emails does it take to change a biofuels policy?

2 October 2008

... About 35,000. Or at least that's how many it took to help trigger the other week's biofuels vote victory. But before we go into that, some history.

Earlier this year Oxfam started campaigning against the use of biofuels. Made from crops like maize and wheat, biofuels were previously considered to be 'green'. But it's now known that biofuels are doing far more harm than good.

So as you can imagine, we were less-than-impressed when the European Union started suggesting it was going to introduce targets to make it compulsory for biofuels to be blended with petrol and diesel.

Action was needed. So we decided the best plan of attack was to target the MEPs (the people that represent us at the European Parliament) who were set to vote on the biofuel legislation at the EU.

35,000 emails were sent by Oxfam supporters from 19 different countries, meaning that for the last two weeks, MEPs were starting work with jammed inboxes. Though this was probably annoying for the MEPs who had to wade through a long list of emails, sometimes you have to annoy to make a point. And as the biofuel vote was ultimately one that will affect people's lives, this was a point that needed making.

The MEPs got the message. After two weeks of intense emailing the results were:

• The original target of biofuels providing 10 per cent of transport fuel has been reduced to 6 per cent
• Standards and safeguards should be introduced to help protect people in poor countries and reduce the impact of biofuels on food prices
• A strong review clause - which would potentially allow the target to be scrapped in 2014

We think this is important progress. And while we're not quite ready to crack open a big bottle of victory Champagne (ideally biofuels would be scrapped altogether), it's a step in the right direction.

The next stage is making sure the MEP's recommendations aren't watered down, and we'll be letting you know how you can keep the pressure on - the best way to keep up-to-date is by subscribing to our monthly email newsletter.

In the mean time, it's an opportunity for all of you who took the online action to feel rather chuffed that you helped change the direction of policy without even leaving your desk.

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