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Biofuels and PANGEA, linking the world together |
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Partners for Euro-African Green Energy, or PANGEA, links together North and South in a new way. PANGEA works to encourage biofuel production in Africa as a way to promote sustainable economic development using what Africa does best—agriculture. By adding the technology of Brazil, India and others to the mix, agriculture becomes something that Europe needs—sustainably produced biofuels.
A Message from the Secretary GeneralPANGEA has in a very short time established itself as the voice for the African biofuels industry within the policy arena in Brussels. Like the industry itself, it began with an idea that blossomed into reality. Since receiving its non-profit status on May 27, 2008, the organisation became intimately involved with the negotiations of the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and the related Sustainability Criteria for biofuels. Working closely with the European Institutions, other pro-biofuel lobbying organisations active on the dossier and with African governments based in Brussels, tangible results have been gained as a result of PANGEA’s active participation in European biofuels legislation. Those rules will encompass the future blending targets until 2020 as well as regulate the minimum degree of sustainability to be met by producers of biofuels who wish to access the European market. Thanks to established relationships within these governments and organisations prior to its inception, PANGEA was able to quickly build upon that foundation and make an immediate impact. PANGEA is now recognised in Brussels as a valuable resource for biofuels expertise for the region. Building upon the success of 2008 , PANGEA is looking forward to even more success in 2009 with goals ranging from continued participation in European biofuels rulemaking to further development of the African biofuels industry in its entirety. “Working together” is the theme of 2009 as the African biofuels industry transitions from its infancy to its adolescence. The coming year and decade will be vital in determining its future. Speaking as one voice, PANGEA offers African biofuel producers, African governments and investors the opportunity to partner in the creation of sustainable energy systems for local development as well as for export to markets such as the European Union. The development of those partnerships is what makes PANGEA, and our joint future, possible. We encourage every participant in this growing industry, from the small cooperative to the multi-national corporations, to join us in creating this reality for the continent. I invite you to review what PANGEA has done in 2008 as well as the goals and activities set out for 2009. Meghan Sapp
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