A report on the impact of biofuels compiled by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said biofuels may “offer a cure that is worse than the disease they seek to heal”.
“The current push to expand the use of biofuels is creating unsustainable tensions that will disrupt markets without generating significant environmental benefits,” the OECD said.
“When acidification, fertiliser use, biodiversity loss and toxicity of agricultural pesticides are taken into account, the overall environmental impacts of ethanol and biodiesel can very easily exceed those of petrol and mineral diesel,” it added.
The report recommends that members of the World Trade Organisation step efforts to lower barriers to biofuel imports to allow developing countries that have ecological and climate systems more suited to biomass production.
Comment: the last paragraph is an indication that the report does fully not condemn biofuel per se, but the related policies currently being put in place. It noted: “Biofuel policies may appear to be an easy way to support domestic agriculture against the backdrop of international negotiations to liberalise agricultural trade.” It also suggests ‘cutting demand’ as the most efficient way of reducing with carbon emissions.
The challenge is finding greener fuel options while avoiding a food versus fuel situation.
Via Planet Ark
