Clean Fuel Standard Principles

The Union of Concerned Scientists defines a framework for Clean Fuel Standards (CFS) centered on oil industry accountability, full lifecycle emission assessments, and the protection of disadvantaged communities. The principles advocate for a rapid phase-out of petroleum in favor of renewable electricity and low-carbon fuels, while ensuring that feedstock consumption does not cause deforestation or food market disruptions. The framework emphasizes that a CFS must not create pollution "hot spots" and should complement, rather than replace, other pollution-reduction policies.

• A Clean Fuel Standard should require the oil industry to support transportation fuel decarbonization aligned with a 1.5 degrees C global temperature limit, prioritizing the phase-out of petroleum and a shift toward renewable electricity for surface transport, while using low-carbon fuels for harder-to-electrify sectors like long-haul aviation.
• The framework mandates that fuels be evaluated by full lifecycle emissions using the best available science, and that the standard must include protections for low-income consumers and measures to prevent the creation of localized pollution "hot spots."
• To ensure sustainability, a Clean Fuel Standard must manage feedstock consumption to prevent deforestation, ecosystem loss, and disruptions to food or energy markets, while supporting soil health and sustainable farming practices.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2024). Clean Fuel Standard Principles. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2024-01/ucs-principles-for-national-clean-fuels-standard.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Clean Fuel Standard Principles. 2024. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2024-01/ucs-principles-for-national-clean-fuels-standard.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Clean Fuel Standard Principles |date=January 2024 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2024-01/ucs-principles-for-national-clean-fuels-standard.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{unionofconcernedscientists2024clean, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Clean Fuel Standard Principles}}, publisher = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2024}, month = jan, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2024-01/ucs-principles-for-national-clean-fuels-standard.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }