The StopTheBiomethaneRush booklet is out!

After months of hard work, it is finally here: our StopTheBiomethaneRush booklet!

This is not only a big moment for us at Foodrise after five years of working on this topic – it is especially so for our StopTheBiomethaneRush coalition.

From a small group of organisations that would informally discuss biomethane, we have evolved into a strong coalition ready to step up at a time when biomethane is heavily promoted as “the” sustainable solution – be it for the agricultural sector, industry, transport, or the energy system as a whole.

But where there are glossy brochures and European production targets being set based on industry calculations, it’s important to take a closer look. We do so with StopTheBiomethaneRush, a diverse coalition of organisations active in the fields of food sovereignty, sustainable land use, animal rights, energy systems, shipping, the heating transition, and emissions mitigation. Importantly, local communities around Europe are also represented in our coalition, giving voice to those directly affected on the ground. Together, we challenge the large-scale development of industrial biogas operations, which create risks of additional environmental pollution, climate impacts, animal cruelty, and social injustices.

Don’t get us wrong. As a coalition, we do recognise that biomethane from unavoidable organic waste streams can contribute to energy needs. But production levels must be kept within a sustainable niche.

What does that mean specifically? We explain it in our new StopTheBiomethaneRush booklet. Our analysis, based on scientific evidence and the experiences of impacted communities, identifies how policy can ensure biomethane production remains compatible with sustainable practices in the farming, food, and energy sectors, while also respecting community well-being.

With Denmark, a major producer of biomethane linked to its highly industrialised animal production system, having taken over the EU Presidency at the beginning of July, we look forward to contributing our expertise over the next six months and beyond.

Let’s get this right!

Read the booklet here: