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EU Lawmakers Reduce Use Of Food-Based Biofuel

The European Parliament is capping the use of food-based biofuels to counter concerns over the energy source's ethical and environmental sustainability. Parliament on Wednesday narrowly voted to lower the amount of fuel that must come from renewable sources across the 28-nation bloc by 2020 from 10 percent to 6 percent.

BRUSSELS (AP) -- The European Parliament is capping the use of food-based biofuels to counter concerns over the energy source's ethical and environmental sustainability.

Parliament on Wednesday narrowly voted to lower the amount of fuel that must come from renewable sources across the 28-nation bloc by 2020 from 10 percent to 6 percent.

Environmentalists argue biofuels made from food like corn or soybeans add as much or even more to greenhouse gas emissions as fossil fuels they are meant to replace because strong demand causes deforestation in developing countries. Others have criticized the burning of food while there are still millions of malnourished worldwide.

The plenary's 356-327 decision also calls for advanced biofuels, sourced from seaweed or certain types of waste, to represent at least 2.5 percent of transportation's energy consumption by 2020.

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