Bliss Baker, the president of the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance, recently sent letters to the national leaders of 47 countries that committed to combating climate change as contributors to the historic agreement at the recent Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21).

“These countries deserve credit for their pledged contributions to the ambitious international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as part of the COP21 agreement,” Baker said.

Given the scale of the challenge now being confronted, estimated to represent global CO2 emission reductions of 80 percent by 2050, countries will need to pursue all viable options to transition away from fossil fuel consumption in all sectors.

It is estimated that the transportation sector produces 25-30 percent of the world’s GHG emissions, making it a priority for national governments as they revise their Intended Nationally Determined Contribution plans in the lead up to the 2020 implementation date of the COP21 agreement.

“National governments have a real opportunity to lead by example in developing enhanced biofuel-friendly policies that encourage the development of new technologies and support the production of renewable fuels with the smallest possible footprint,” Baker said. “The GRFA encourages national governments to highlight the significant environmental and economic benefits that ethanol-supportive policies are making, and will continue to make, in order to encourage other countries to pursue domestic opportunities presented by biofuels,” he added.

In its letter, the GRFA offered the expertise of its members to work with government leaders in the development of forward-thinking policies that maximize the advantages of biofuel technologies that are demonstrated to be effective, affordable and immediately available.

Governments sent letters: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Slovenia, Romania, Slovak Republic, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam.