The UK’s increasing demand for biofuels will destroy more natural habitat and create more climate changing emissions than previously estimated, according to new research disclosed in a study 'Driving to Destruction' by a coalition of non-governmental organisations, including ActionAid and Greenpeace.

The analysis of national biofuel action shows that, to meet its renewable energy target for transport, the UK has chosen to implement the highest increase in the use of biofuels of any EU country – making it the biggest importer of biofuels in Europe.

It shows that factors not currently accounted for in biofuel policies mean that the UK’s drive for biofuel could destroy an extra 1.6 million hectares of wildlife habitat – bigger than the size of Northern Ireland - by 2020.

This is largely due to indirect land-use changes, claim critics, which have looked at this issue in particular, and reviewed the renewable energy plans of EU member states individually and in aggregate.

Indirect land-use changes are difficult to quantify, but relate to the fact that as more land is used to grow biofuel feedstock, food production is bound to move elsewhere. These new areas include land that currently is forested or holds significant carbon stocks that will be released to the atmosphere.

In the UK up to 13 megatonnes of additional carbon dioxide emissions could be created per year - equivalent to putting nearly six million extra cars on the roads.

Responding to the report, Renewable Energy Association chief executive Gaynor Hartnell argued that the UK biofuel producers were consistently delivering carbon savings of at least 70 per cent compared with fossil fuels by ensuring they only use energy crops that have been grown in a sustainable manner.

However, she urged the government to introduce the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) as soon as possible in a bid to prevent the proliferation of damaging land use practices.

"The problem is that the UK has not implemented [RED] yet, nor does it intend to until the end of 2011," she said. "Unsustainable biofuels will be excluded from many European countries, but not the UK – a ludicrous situation, given the UK's previous leadership in setting standards."

The Renewable Energy Strategy (RES)

EU Renewable Energy Directive