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Too difficult to govern? An assessment of the governability of transport biofuels in the EU

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  • Di Lucia, Lorenzo

Abstract

Transport biofuels are currently the subject of heated debate in the EU. In the past decade the deployment of these technologies has been justified by claims of attractive environmental, geopolitical and rural development benefits. However, expectations have rapidly turned into deep criticism regarding the sustainability of these technologies and the desirability of pursuing the biofuel path. This situation has generated an on-going controversy and policy deadlock at EU level. This study explores these issues from a governance perspective. Employing the concept of system governability, derived from interactive governance theory, it attempts to shed some light on the problems facing the governance of biofuels and on how the quality of the governance system could be improved. The analysis showed that the governability of the system decreased substantially in the period 2003–2012 due to increasing governing needs and decreasing governing capacity. The quality of the governance system can be improved by (i) improving governing capacity by reducing conflicts among governing actors, advancing consistency among institutions and creating capacity at international and global level; and (ii) promoting advanced technologies and adjusting societal ambitions and expectations regarding biofuels.

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  • Di Lucia, Lorenzo, 2013. "Too difficult to govern? An assessment of the governability of transport biofuels in the EU," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 81-88.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:63:y:2013:i:c:p:81-88
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2013.08.080
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alison Burrell & Maria Blanco & Stephan Hubertus Gay & Martin Henseler & Aikaterini Kavallari & Robert M'barek & Ignacio Perez & Axel Tonini, 2010. "Impacts of the EU Biofuel Target on Agricultural Markets and Land Use - A Comparative Modelling Assessment," JRC Research Reports JRC58484, Joint Research Centre.
    2. Jentoft, Svein & Chuenpagdee, Ratana, 2009. "Fisheries and coastal governance as a wicked problem," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 553-560, July.
    3. Scarlat, Nicolae & Dallemand, Jean-François, 2011. "Recent developments of biofuels/bioenergy sustainability certification: A global overview," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 1630-1646, March.
    4. Di Lucia, Lorenzo & Nilsson, Lars J., 2007. "Transport biofuels in the European Union: The state of play," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(6), pages 533-543, November.
    5. Wiesenthal, Tobias & Leduc, Guillaume & Christidis, Panayotis & Schade, Burkhard & Pelkmans, Luc & Govaerts, Leen & Georgopoulos, Panagiotis, 2009. "Biofuel support policies in Europe: Lessons learnt for the long way ahead," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 789-800, May.
    6. Kondili, E.M. & Kaldellis, J.K., 2007. "Biofuel implementation in East Europe: Current status and future prospects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 11(9), pages 2137-2151, December.
    7. Lamers, Patrick & Hamelinck, Carlo & Junginger, Martin & Faaij, André, 2011. "International bioenergy trade--A review of past developments in the liquid biofuel market," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(6), pages 2655-2676, August.
    8. van Dam, J. & Junginger, M. & Faaij, A.P.C., 2010. "From the global efforts on certification of bioenergy towards an integrated approach based on sustainable land use planning," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(9), pages 2445-2472, December.
    9. Jentoft, Svein, 2007. "Limits of governability: Institutional implications for fisheries and coastal governance," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 360-370, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Song, Andrew, 2018. "Reconstructing Governability: How Fisheries Are Made Governable," MarXiv zavwc, Center for Open Science.
    2. repec:osf:marxiv:zavwc_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Åhman, Max & Skjærseth, Jon Birger & Eikeland, Per Ove, 2018. "Demonstrating climate mitigation technologies: An early assessment of the NER 300 programme," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 100-107.
    4. Di Lucia, Lorenzo & Usai, Domenico & Woods, Jeremy, 2018. "Designing landscapes for sustainable outcomes – The case of advanced biofuels," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 434-446.

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