T&E's reaction to the Renewable Energy Directive / In the final trilogue negotiations on the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED), agreed yesterday, the EU drastically increased its target for renewables in transport from 14% to 29%[1]. Negotiators also included an obligation on EU states to include electricity in their energy quotas for transport. However, a focus on quantity over quality will see a big role of damaging biofuels in Europe’s future energy mix. The Council and Commission’s failure to support a rapid phase out of soy and palm oil biofuels is a disaster for forests, says T&E. Biofuels / Despite a push from the biofuels lobby to increase the role of crop-based biofuels, the cap will remain at 2020 levels and their use remains optional for member states. However, the Commission and Council rejected the EU Parliament’s proposal to immediately phase out palm and soy biofuels, which are heavily linked to the clearance of forests and conversion of peatlands. (....)