Secret World Bank Report Says Biofuels Are Prime Cause of Food Crisis
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 4.08
The Bush administration says it ain't so, blaming high food prices on higher demand from India and China. Brazil's Lula blames record oil prices and rich countries' farm subsidies. John Laumer blames genetically modified crops, among other things. Now a leaked report from the World Bank claims that biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75%. The Guardian writes: "Senior development sources" say the report was spiked to avoid embarrassing President Bush. "It would put the World Bank in a political hot-spot with the White House," said one yesterday.
The report contradicts Bush and says "Rapid income growth in developing countries has not led to large increases in global grain consumption and was not a major factor responsible for the large price increases Without the increase in biofuels, global wheat and maize stocks would not have declined appreciably and price increases due to other factors would have been moderate."
World Bank Entrance, Washington, Getty Images
From the Guardian: "Political leaders seem intent on suppressing and ignoring the strong evidence that biofuels are a major factor in recent food price rises," said Robert Bailey, policy adviser at Oxfam. "It is imperative that we have the full picture. While politicians concentrate on keeping industry lobbies happy, people in poor countries cannot afford enough to eat." ::Guardian
More on Biofuel and Food Prices
Biofuels , Food , and Sustainability Examined: Michael Pollan ...
Rising Food & Oil Prices : A Recipe For Riots Says FAO
Common BioFuel Myth: Corn-Based Ethanol To Blame For Global Food ...
Biofuels Have Pushed Thirty Million People Into Poverty: Oxfam ...
Biofuels : When Subsidies and Special Interests Collide
Biofuels : Possible "Crime Against Humanity"? :
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*gasp* You mean the Bush administration actually LIED to the world to make it's point appear valid?! NO! My innocence is simply shattered!
Does the report have anything to say about how the world banks own destructive policies have impoverished poor countries and made the food crisis possible to begin with?
Or does it just blame biofuels so that no one will pay much attention to the failed neoliberal globalization agenda?
I am also absolutely shocked, that the Bush administration has lied to us. I just can't believe it! Oh wait a minute maybe I do see a pattern of behavior here.
Another thing that the world and especially Americans are guilty of is wasting food. Just think of all the food that is thrown out after sitting in the refrigerator. What is even more disgusting is the huge portions that restaurants serve and half of it eventually gets thrown in the garbage. Conservation should also be involved when its comes to our food.
Not Biofuels, Corn Ethanol.
Republicans... Monsanto... Large Agri Business... is definitely looking like a new axis of evil.
Biofuels are not the main cause for higher food costs. The price of petroleum is. Ethanol only caused the price of food to rise by .25%. .25 isn't very much at all.