In order to minimise the risk of indirect Land Use Change, the RSB has developed a set of criteria and compliance indicators for operators to voluntarily demonstrate that their operations are unlikely to cause any displacement of an equivalent biomass production to another location. The RSB Low ILUC Risk Biomass Module is a voluntary addition to other RSB Certification types that enables operators to make  additional claims that an RSB feedstock or product is at minimal risk of causing indirect land use change.

The RSB Low ILUC Biomass Module may not be used as a standalone certification.

This optional certification add-on is for use by any operator wishing to demonstrate their operation’s low risk of causing indirect land use change as an addition to their main RSB certification.

Being certified against RSB’s low ILUC risk module allows operators to make use of low ILUC risk biomass claims and labels to demonstrate to their investors, buyers and civil society stakeholders that the GHG emission reductions are real and there is a low risk of causing indirect land use change.

RSB’s voluntary Low ILUC risk module recognises three approaches for demonstrating low ILUC risk.

• Yield Increase: Operators demonstrate that additional biomass for biofuel/biomaterial was produced through an increase in yield compared to a reference date, without any additional land conversion.
• Unused/Degraded Land: Operators demonstrate that biomass for biofuel/biomaterial was produced on land that was not previously cultivated or was not considered arable land (a reference date is also used).
• Use of waste/residues: Operators demonstrate that raw material used for biofuel/biomaterial is derived from waste or residues of existing supply chains (e.g. food production, wood processing etc.) and do not require dedicated production out of arable lands.