Designing law and policy for the transition to sustainable energy: the case of biofuels

University of Ottawa, June 9 & 10, 2011

Day One ‐ Thursday June 9, 2011

Session I

Biofuels and the Environmental Science Lessons "Learned" for Canada's Evolving Bioenergy and Bioproducts Agenda
Terry McIntyre, Senior Science Advisor, Biofuels and Bioenergy, Environment Canada

Biofuels Regulatory Web
Jeremy DeBeer, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa

What Problem are We Trying to Solve? What is the Potential Role of Law in Solving it? What are the Potential Difficulties in Doing So?
Paul Martin, Director
Australian Centre for Agriculture and Law, University of New England

Session II

The Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels as a Tool for Policy Makers – not just Consumers. The interaction between RSB voluntary certification and regulatory policies
Barbara Bramble, Senior Advisor for the International Climate and Energy
Program, National Wildlife Federation

Using Biofuels to Address Multiple Environmental Objectives
Matt McCandless, Project Manager
Sustainable Natural Resources Management / Climate Change and Energy, International Institute for Sustainable Development

Reconsidering Renewable Fuels: Designing Renewable Fuels Standards that will Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Protect the Food Supply
Melissa Powers, Lewis & Clark Law School, Oregon

Luncheon Speaker: Ken Field, Chairman, GreenField Ethanol

Plenary Session I

National Approaches
Chair: Jeremy deBeer, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa

Biofuels Policy : An Ontario Perspective
Bill Greenizan, Ontario Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure

Canadian Biofuels Policies
Don O'Connor, S&T2 and GHGenius

U.S.A.
Federal The Obama Administration's Biofuels Roadmap
Bill Hagy, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Plenary Session II

National Approaches ‐ cont'd

EU: The EU Legal Toolbox for the Transition to a Low Carbon Future
Anita Rønne, University of Copenhagen

Brazil: The Policy, Law and Social‐Environmental Sustainability of Biofuels in Brazil
Vladimir Magalhaes, Catholic University of UniSantos, Brazil

South Africa: The Role of Sustainable Development Principles in Enabling Effective Renewable Energy Policy – a South African Perspective
Michelle Barnard, North‐West University, South Africa

Philippines: The Salience of Discourse Coalitions in Biofuels Policymaking: The Philippine Case
Marvin Montefrio, PhD Candidate Environmental and Natural Resources Policy, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York

Day Two - Friday, June 10, 2011

Plenary Session III

Sustainability Criteria: the example of EU Biofuels legislation
Rafal Lapkowski, Trade and Economic Advisor & Second Secretary, EU Delegation to Canada

A Geography‐Based Critique of New US Biofuels Regulations
Stewart Fast, PhD candidate and Marc Saner, Director, Institute for Science, Society, and Policy, University of Ottawa
Pierre Cloutier de Repentigny, LLM Candidate, University of British Columbia

Concurrent Panel Sessions:

(1) Technology and Commercialization

Marie‐Helene Labrie
Vice President, Enerkem

Gordon Quaiattini
President, Canadian Renewable Fuels Association

(2) Markets, Trade and Biofuels

Advantages and Disadvantages of Various Economic Incentive Frameworks

Prof. Brad Saville

Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry

University of Toronto

Ensuring fairness in the governance of international trade in biofuels: Is the understanding of food security under the WTO Agreement on Agriculture adequate to deal with the challenge of biofuels?

Stephanie Switzer, University of Dundee

Interactions Between the WTO Agreements and a State's Ability to Police the International Trade of Biofuels: a Case Study of the US Renewable Fuel Standard
Danielle Spiegel, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Plenary Session IV

The Advantages and Challenges of Biofuels versus Other Fuel Options
Jack Smith, Adjunct Professor of Technology and Strategy
Telfer School, University of Ottawa

Identifying the Impediments to the Adoption and Implementation of a Legal and Regulatory Risk Management Model for Biofuels Weeds Control
Elodie Le Gal, University Of New England, Australia

The Need for a Comprehensive Energy Policy, the role of Biofuels within it, and within the broader Sustainability framework
Warren Mabee, Associate Director
Queen's Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy and the Sustainable Bioeconomy Centre, Queens School of Policy Studies

Working Group Discussions: Designing Proposals for Change