| Opposition to US and EU Biofuels Growing | 14 May 08 |
 Efforts to expand biofuel production in the United States and European Union are facing strong opposition from environmental groups and world organizations saying they are morally and economically irresponsible.Economist and special advisor to the United Nations, Jeffrey Sachs warned the US and EU to stop transitioning agriculture land to grow biofuels, derived from cereals, soybean, rapeseed oil, and sugar cane due to rising food prices and the current threat of global food scarcity. The Earth Policy Institute (EPI) says the United States burned 25 percent of its corn supply as fuel last year. Europe currently plans to replace 10 percent of diesel and gasoline consumption with biofuels by 2020. Friends of the Earth International have an ongoing campaign against development, production and trade of biofuels with concerns the politically driven demand will increase already serious social and environmental problems. "Agrofuels are not part of the solution to climate change, they are part of the problem. Agrofuel production often takes over land used for food production, and agrofuel plantations displace entire peasant and indigenous communities," said Friends of the Earth International campaigner Longgena Ginting. View May 8, 2008 Time article View May 5, 2008 Google News article View Friends of the Earth - Declaration on agrofuels View May 5, 2008 Friends of the Earth article View May 8, 2008 Google News article Sources: Time, Google News, Friends of the Earth |
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