Biofuel production is fueling poverty and environmental issues

Christian Aid warns of the implications of large scale biofuel production on poor countries in a recent report entitled Growing Pains.

The report says rather than being an environmentally sound alternative to fossil fuels, carbon emissions of some biofuels are actually higher due to deforestation as land is cleared for  plantations. Forced displacement, food price rises and pollution of water sources can all result from large scale plantations of maize and palm oil as biofuel crops the charity reports.

Christian Aid does, however believe biofuel crops have the potential to help countries where energy is currently unavailable. The charity highlights schemes such as the growing of jatropha in Mali, where the plant is raised between food crops and the oil from the seeds is used to run village generators which can power appliances such as stoves and lights. Read more…