Biofuels Policy in UK Requires a “Cautious Approach”: Transport Minister
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 07. 7.08
photo by Wiliam Rowlands
It’s sure not to be the final world in the whole food versus biofuel debate, but the recent secret World Bank report which finds that biofuels are responsible for 75% of the recent rise in global food prices certainly frames the debate in a stark new light.
So does a recent report on the environmental and social impact of biofuels by Professor Ed Gallagher, which recommends slowing the introduction of biofuels because current production targets will result in a rise in greenhouse gas emissions and an increase in poverty in the poorest countries.
UK to Continue With Biofuels, But More Slowly
Based on a statement in The Guardian, UK transport minister Ruth Kelly has apparently taken these reports at least partly to heart.
I believe it right to adopt a more cautious approach until the evidence is clearer about the wider environmental and social effects of biofuels. We also need to allow time for more sustainable biofuel technologies to emerge.
Report recommends reduced production targets
Gallagher recommends that production target increases under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation should be reduced by 0.5% and any future targets beyond 5% should only be agreed to if the biofuels are produced sustainably. The report also recommends that biofuels produced from waste and marginal lands be prioritized.
via :: The Guardian
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So Ruth Kelly is recommending caution... after the event! The UK, and the world, need leadership with a little more foresight - the time to question and counsel caution is before policies are introduced, not after.
It's about time someone showed some sense in the biofuel debate. I wish the US would slow down its production too. Aside from the effects on poverty and food production, biofuel demands promote unsustainable, aggressive agriculture practices, including the overuse of fertilizers and pesticides.
More on the environmental impact of biofuels:
http://www.brightfuture.us/new/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=157&Itemid=71