UK 'lacks ambition' on bioenergy

British policies on bioenergy from plants and other natural materials lack ambition and clarity MPs have said. The Commons Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee (Efracom) says the UK is lagging behind other countries.

It urges the government to look beyond its existing 5% target for biofuels in road transport and promote bioenergy for heating homes and aviation. However it says that wide adoption of currently available biofuels could have serious consequences for wildlife.

The government's target announced last year in response to a European directive is to have 5% of road transport fuelled by bioethanol and biodiesel by 2010.