adopted any of the EU-approved voluntary schemes, national system or bilateral and
multilateral agreements (see Sect. 4.2). In fact, only the British partner of the Italian
corporation SFIR is certified by some of the voluntary schemes approved by the
European Commission.
Conversely, Italian investors have mostly adopted the ISO 14001, EMAS,
OHSAS 18001 and ISO 9001 standards (Table 4.5). Most of these standards do
not specifically cover issues related to LSLAs, such as environmental impact and
land rights (Box 1). None of the schemes deployed by the Italian investors refers to
national or international legislation that covers policy domains such as indigenous
rights, relevant for investments in land. Only one scheme, the OHSAS 18001,
provides social requirements, but those address labour condition criteria, and are
insufficient to guarantee, for instance, recognition of legal and customary rights by
means of FPIC. On the other hand, the schemes that provide environmental requirements (i.e. EMAS; ISO 14001; ISO 55001) do not cover, for instance, environmental
protection of areas holding high conservation values (HCV).
4.5 Discussion
4.5.1 Italian Investments and Compliance with EU RED
Sustainability Criteria
Our analysis suggests that most of the LSLAs involving Italian investors in SSA
relate to biofuel feedstock production (Sect. 4.4.1). Based on EU legislation, the
biofuel feedstock imported into the EU needs to meet certain sustainability requirements. Up to date, the EU has approved 19 voluntary schemes for biofuel feedstocks
as part of EU RED (Table 4.1). A few Member-States have also approved national
systems to certify their biofuel feedstocks. However, no formal agreement has been
signed between the EU (or its Member-States) and third parties (Ecofys 2013). To
the best of our knowledge, only a few Member-States have set up a domestic system
to certify biofuel feedstock production, with no evidence of bilateral or multilateral
agreements to be found.
Italy is among the few EU countries which have transposed the EU RED
sustainability criteria and set national certification schemes for biofuels. This was
done through decrees adopted in January and March 2012 (Ecofys 2013). For
example, the National System for Certification of the Sustainability of Biofuels
and Bioliquids was established through an Inter-Ministerial Decree in January
2012 (Ministero dell’Ambiente 2012). This can be considered as a ‘national system’
as it allows for the information provided by relevant investors/companies to be
verified by the appointed national authorities (Ecofys 2013). The Italian agency
for the accreditation of organisations certifies compliance with the national system
and is in charge of evaluating the SCL schemes (ACCREDIA 2012). However, none
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multilateral agreements (see Sect. 4.2). In fact, only the British partner of the Italian
corporation SFIR is certified by some of the voluntary schemes approved by the
European Commission.
Conversely, Italian investors have mostly adopted the ISO 14001, EMAS,
OHSAS 18001 and ISO 9001 standards (Table 4.5). Most of these standards do
not specifically cover issues related to LSLAs, such as environmental impact and
land rights (Box 1). None of the schemes deployed by the Italian investors refers to
national or international legislation that covers policy domains such as indigenous
rights, relevant for investments in land. Only one scheme, the OHSAS 18001,
provides social requirements, but those address labour condition criteria, and are
insufficient to guarantee, for instance, recognition of legal and customary rights by
means of FPIC. On the other hand, the schemes that provide environmental requirements (i.e. EMAS; ISO 14001; ISO 55001) do not cover, for instance, environmental
protection of areas holding high conservation values (HCV).
4.5 Discussion
4.5.1 Italian Investments and Compliance with EU RED
Sustainability Criteria
Our analysis suggests that most of the LSLAs involving Italian investors in SSA
relate to biofuel feedstock production (Sect. 4.4.1). Based on EU legislation, the
biofuel feedstock imported into the EU needs to meet certain sustainability requirements. Up to date, the EU has approved 19 voluntary schemes for biofuel feedstocks
as part of EU RED (Table 4.1). A few Member-States have also approved national
systems to certify their biofuel feedstocks. However, no formal agreement has been
signed between the EU (or its Member-States) and third parties (Ecofys 2013). To
the best of our knowledge, only a few Member-States have set up a domestic system
to certify biofuel feedstock production, with no evidence of bilateral or multilateral
agreements to be found.
Italy is among the few EU countries which have transposed the EU RED
sustainability criteria and set national certification schemes for biofuels. This was
done through decrees adopted in January and March 2012 (Ecofys 2013). For
example, the National System for Certification of the Sustainability of Biofuels
and Bioliquids was established through an Inter-Ministerial Decree in January
2012 (Ministero dell’Ambiente 2012). This can be considered as a ‘national system’
as it allows for the information provided by relevant investors/companies to be
verified by the appointed national authorities (Ecofys 2013). The Italian agency
for the accreditation of organisations certifies compliance with the national system
and is in charge of evaluating the SCL schemes (ACCREDIA 2012). However, none
152
M. Antonelli et al.