Global agreements and treaties are of enormous importance for the support and criteria for biofuels. Wetlands International advocates for policies that only support sustainably produced biofuels.

UN Climate Change Convention

Biofuels like ethanol made from sugarcane or biodiesel made from palm oil are seen as renewable energies in UN climate policies (UN-FCCC, Kyoto Protocol). Countries do not need to report carbon dioxide emissions from using these energy sources; contrary to using fossil fuels. These emissions are subject to the reduction targets of so called Annex 1 countries.

These international greenhouse gas accounting and reporting rules make biofuels a very attractive alternative for fossil fuels, despite their higher prices.The logic behind these rules is that fuels from trees or plants where formed by photosynthesis; a process that took exactly the same amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as is emitted when the plants are combusted.The sad fact is, this is only partly true. Production of many biofuels, most notably palm oil, takes place in areas with formerly huge carbon stocks, like forests and peatswamps. Establishment of the plantations leads to enormous greenhouse gas emissions.

Wetlands International advocates for change of these UN-FCCC accounting and reporting rules.

Ramsar Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity

Within the framework of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Wetlands International aims for global criteria for biofuel production in order to prevent massive losses of wetlands and their values.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 9) in 2008 was a success as the countries acknowledged the problem and called for the development of guidelines in the "agricultural biodiversity: biofuels and biodiversity" decision.

A similar biofuels resolution has been approved by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP X) in November 2009.