The biofuel industry has a strong position: questioning the validity of the calculation model and the true impact of the ILUC, some of them even commanded scientific researches to prove it. For example, the EBB (European biodiesel board), a statement shared by other European biofuel industry actors, such as: Aebiom, europabio. In Brazil, Unica, the biggest local sugarcane industry association has expressed the same concerns, so as the National Biodiesel Board in USA. Even some specialized magazines are sharing the same position as the industry actors.
It seems that the existence of this ILUC issue is internationally recognized but those industrial associations who are in the same position don’t explicitly link to each other. Some European actors are linked to worldwide biofuel events, but not to the Brazilian and American case, which seem isolated in their own country, with their own associations and companies.
Some blogs seem more information-oriented rather than pronounce a point of view, there are more likely to be classified in the not pronounced category.
Compared to the Europe and Brazilian one, most USA actors choose not to talk about the issue, but the policy makers such as US environmental policy agency and the Arb have a strong belief in the ILUC and considering taking it into consideration while making tariff decisions, etc. And these governmental actors are linked with some NGOs (climate connection, etc) having the same position.
Regarding the actors who advocate a reconsideration of the efficiency of biofuels, some of them have no-connectness with other. For example, there has been a letter signed by more than 100 scientists worldwide, in the name of union of concerned scientists, which circulated to European Commission last year, and asking the EU to redefine the energy target. However, this group, like some other NGOs or blogs are non-linked. The Brazilian Greenpeace doesn’t have any statement regarding this issue.
The debate happens most actively in Europe according to the map. Most related information is coming from European continent. The ones who provide information and scientific research are often linked to the one who don’t speak a position.
As we can observe much more business-interested actors than scientific information/ personal points of view are present in the web, even some institutions have commercial characters. We can tell that biofuel market is in boom and the Brazilian association Unica is one of the most important actors in our controversy although it seems not every interacted with other international actors.
The biofuel issue is really gaining international coverage, especially regarding the indirect effect, however, people in the same position don’t seem to recognize each other, according to the web.