Biofuel Raises Human Rights Concern
Biofuel is having a rough 2008. Last week, there were claims that biofuel crops result in net increases in carbon emissions and global warming. This week, environmental groups are crying foul over human rights abuses in
A report published by Friends of the Earth, LifeMosaic, and Sawit Watch claims that the EU’s demand for more biofuel in
To stem the tide, environmental groups are asking that the EU reject any policies that expand the use of biofuels. The EU currently wants biofuels such as bioethanol and biodiesel to make up 10 percent of transport fuel by 2020.
The report also claims that oil palm companies often use violent tactics as they move in to convert the land to plantations. For these reasons, environmental groups want the EU to direct its energies on fuel conservation, insisting that all new cars are designed to be super-efficient.
"The
It’s becoming more and more clear that cultivating crops for the sole purpose of creating biofuel may not be such a great idea. So, until new technologies exist that are able to convert biomass and plant waste, such as corn husks, into biofuel, maybe it's time to slow down the biofuel movement.
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