Europe growing more cautious about biofuels goals.

Biofuels appear to be losing their gloss on Europe, where governments are adopting a more cautious approach to previously announced goals for ethanol and biodiesel, according to a report in The New York Times.

Critics of biofuels have urged the EU to re-examine its plan calling for biofuels to fuel 10 percent of cars and trucks by 2020, which is part of a broader commitment to provide 20 percent of all energy in the EU from renewable sources, up from 8.5 percent now.

The British government yesterday announced it is slowing down its biofuels plans. Ruth Kelly, the British transport minister, told the British Pariliament that the introduction of biofuels should be slowed down (BBC video link here), citing a newly released report by Professor Ed Gallagher (BBC video link here), head of the UK Renewable Fuels Agency, warning that current goals for biofuel production could cause a global rise in greenhouse gas emissions and an increase in poverty in the poorest countries.

Biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75% - far more than previously estimated - according to a confidential World Bank report obtained by The Guardian newspaper.

- David Adams

Comments

[Tim]

I'm glad to see that Europe is catching on to the dangers of biofuels. Sadly, many policymakers in the US seem to still be pushing heavily for biofuel development. In addition to the problems mentioned in this article, biofuel production tends to encourage the overuse of pesticides and fertilizers, leading to increased pollution problems. For a nice editorial on the "biofuel hoax of 2008" see: http://www.brightfuture.us/new/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=157&Itemid=71