EU Biofuel Linked to Amazon Deforestation

Why this is here: Valero Ireland shipped 23,000 tonnes of aviation fuel components—valued at roughly €7.9 million—to the Belgian port of Ghent, a hub connected to a network serving six European commercial airports.

Diamond Green Diesel, a US supplier, shipped at least €1.24 billion worth of “green” fuel to Belgium and the Netherlands between 2025 and April 2026. The fuel contains beef tallow sourced from a Brazilian supplier connected to a slaughterhouse facing 31 lawsuits regarding illegal deforestation in the Jaci-Paraná reserve in Rondônia, Brazil.

This reserve has lost over 75% of its forest cover since 1996 due to illegal cattle ranching. The EU relies on certification schemes like ISCC EU to ensure biofuel sustainability, but these schemes do not trace tallow back to the farms where cattle are raised, classifying it as waste instead of a farmed product.

Darling Ingredients, a co-owner of Diamond Green Diesel, acquired a Brazilian rendering company in 2022, increasing its access to tallow but also linking it to deforestation risks. The EU’s upcoming Deforestation Regulation will not cover beef tallow, leaving a gap in traceability and sustainability oversight as Europe increases its demand for biofuels and sustainable aviation fuel. Investigations continue into the extent of illegal deforestation within the biofuel supply chain.