EU defends biofuel goals amid food crises
Mon Apr 14, 10:39 AM ET



The EU Commission on Monday rejected claims that producing biofuels is a "crime against humanity" that threatens food supplies, and vowed to stick to its goals as part of a climate change package.

"There is no question for now of suspending the target fixed for biofuels," said Barbara Helfferich, spokeswoman for EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas.

"You can't change a political objective without risking a debate on all the other objectives," which could see the EU landmark climate change and energy package disintegrate, an EU official said.

Their comments came amid growing unease over the planting of biofuel crops as food prices rocket and riots against poverty and hunger multiply worldwide.

UN Special Rapporteur for the Right to Food Jean Ziegler told German radio Monday that the production of biofuels is "a crime against humanity" because of its impact on global food prices.

EU leaders, seeking to show the way on global warming, have pledged to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent by 2020.

As part of a package of measures the 27 member states have set a target of biofuels making up 10 percent of automobile fuel by the same year.

"We don't have an enormous danger of too much of a shift from food production to biofuels production," said Michael Mann, spokesman for EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel.

Mann, like Helfferich speaking to reporters in Brussels, stressed that the 10 percent target would in part be achieved through higher yields and increased production.

Ziegler also accused the European Union of subsidising its agriculture exports with effect of undermining production in Africa.

"The EU finances the exports of European agricultural surpluses to Africa ... where they are offered at one half or one third of their (production) price," the UN official charged.

"That completely ruins African agriculture," he added.

In recent months, rising food costs have sparked violent protests in Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Haiti, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mauritania, the Philippines and other countries.

In Pakistan and Thailand, troops have been deployed to avoid the seizure of food from fields and warehouses, while price increases fuelled a general strike in Burkina Faso.

The European Environment Agency, advisors to the European Commission, on Friday recommended that the EU suspend its 10 percent biofuels target.
It argued that the target would require large amounts of additional imports of biofuels leading to the accelerated destruction of rain forests. The agency also questioned the environmental benefits of biofuels.

Also in a recent report the World Bank said bluntly "biofuel production has pushed up feedstock prices".


Meanhwile Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, head of Nestle, the world's biggest food and beverage company, last month argued that "to grant enormous subsidies for biofuel production is morally unacceptable and irresponsible".

"There will be nothing left to eat," he added.

European leaders are aware of the growing body of opinion opposed to biofuels but Dimas has stressed the use of "second generation" biofuels; including leaves, straw and pond algae.

The first generation of green fuels -- biodiesel and ethanol-- are made from wheat, maize, colza, sugar beet etc, also used for human and animal feed.
However, according to French Ecology Minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, the methods for utilising the second generation sources are far from complete.

"That will take 10 to 20 years," she told AFP.

The 27 EU nations are due on May 7 to approve strict criteria for the production of biofuels, according to the European Commission.
Speaking in Luxembourg on Monday French Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier, meeting with his EU counterparts, said that food production must be the priority.

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Liberals are people that will believe anything twice.

Refer to The Ultimate Resource II by Simon.

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It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. Einstein

What I found interesting was a plant called "Rapeseed" was being used for bio-fuel. I even googled it and yup, it actually exists, kinda in the cabbage genus.

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Life is good, the water is sweet. The ground keeps moving beneath my feet.

Yep if they don't get off the biofuel band wagon we're all going to starve damn food prices are already high enough. dairy products from corn fed cows have driven milk prices up. but its going to affect the global market.

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A friend with weed is a friend Indeed

Going to? It IS. From Haiti to Mozambique to Egypt, people cannot afford to buy the food that's there and they are now rioting.

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I wonder when the riots will start here, The newly jobless, homeless, and now can't afford food people will surely unite sometime soon. All you fat cats beware, riots coming to a fat cat neighborhood near you, ~LOL~.

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Life is good, the water is sweet. The ground keeps moving beneath my feet.

Well, MM, we are waiting for it and fully expect it. At first we thought that violence may be triggered by the current political state of our country, however, it is becoming a truism that we are The United States of Amnesia. But now? People can't get to work. They can't heat their water or homes. They are rapidly becoming unable to afford to feed themselves, those of us in the middle class. I, for one, am becoming glad for my metabolism, as I've always joked that I would survive an apocalypse due to my super-cells.

My husband and I are starting our first veggie garden. The cost of living where we are is high, but we also live on fertile ground. Fortunately for US, we're on well water, so we won't have to worry about water needs as long as we can power the pumps to bring it up.

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I wish I were in that situation. I doubt we'll have the time to wait for my wifes retirement to kick in. I see this situation becoming critical within the next 5 years. I don't make enough on my retirement to support 7 people, as that is what my wife and I support now with her working. I don't even want to discuss my step daughter as I'd end up foaming at the mouth, lets just say the word crackhead and leave it at that. Every time I try and kick her to the curb, my wife lets her back. I'm starting to foam. we are raising her two kids, my greatly loved grandaughters, and I'd be fine with taking them on our escape move, but the daughter wouldn't let them go and I absolutely refuse to allow her to come. She has no job or any intention of ever getting one. We also have a schizophrenic (stepson) that is as whacky as one can be. We'd have to take him, so we'd have to have at least 5 acres so I could put him in a trailer at the far end of the property. There is no living with him. I know, I'm rambling. I find my situation rather frustrating at times, but my wife is an absolute saint and I stick it out to support her as much as I can. If there is only one place in heaven, I'm sure my wife will get it. I've told her, don't wait up for me, I'm heading south.

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Life is good, the water is sweet. The ground keeps moving beneath my feet.

Damn.. schizophrenia is about the worst I've ever had to deal with, even than bipolar or depression. That is some seriously tough shit to deal with. That's a really tough situation for you. We care for my father-in-law, but he's pretty easy-going and the worst he does is make a mess. We did, at one time, have seven under one (3brm) roof, too, and DAMN if that isn't tight!

So, would you be surprised if I told you that we're also arming ourselves, you know, just in case?

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No, no surprise. In this time, if you can afford a firearm or three, it's solid advice. I have a few guns, my favorite is An SK, the civilian version of an AK47, no full auto, but it will spit out 30-40-50-100 rounds as fast as you can pull the trigger. I have 2 40-rd. clips, 4 30rd clips and 500 rounds of ammo, the 7MM Mag, an M1 Carbine, a 12 guage shotgun, a 22 semi-auto that holds 20 rounds in the tube, about 8 pistols from a .25 cal pocket gun to a .45 1911 match grade, blow you back out of the room handgun. I love my guns. They make me feel powerful. I have a carry permit that I never use, but it's nice to know I can if I want to. I have a little .380 that would be my carry piece of choice, either that or my Glock 17, 17 rounds you know, the .380 only holds 7 and one in the chamber. I am very proficient in their useage and will use them if necessary. It is knowing when it is necessary that is the definitive question.

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Life is good, the water is sweet. The ground keeps moving beneath my feet.