Biofuels are causing world food crisis
Crops such as soya are being diverted away from food production
Author: Robin Brown
Published: 04 July 2008
A leaked report by the World Bank has indicated that biofuels are the main reason behind rocketing global food prices.
Documents obtained by the Guardian newspaper indicate that the rise in popularity of biofuels has forced up food prices by 75 per cent, rather than the three pre cent claimed by the US government.
Countries in the West have moved to embrace biofuels, with all petrol in the UK now sold with a 2.5 percentage of biofuels added at pumps - to combat carbon emissions, widely believed to be the main force behind climate change.
The report has apparently not been published so as not to embarrass the White House, which has publicly backed further biofuel use.
Over a third of US corn is used for ethanol production, while half of vegetable oils in the EU produce biodiesel, according to the report.
Biofuel crops have also been blamed for deforestation and the destruction of bogs - both of which are important carbon sinks.
World leaders will meet in Japan next week to discuss biofuel policy, where they will face increased pressure to stop adoption of biofuels.
We all want to do our bit and buying a green car is increasingly important to car buyers. But what exactly constitutes an eco-friendly car?
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Research reveals a high level of confusion surrounding car emissions and greener driving technology. Drivers variously believe that electric cars produce water and they emit battery acid.
Motorists who buy fuel from the black market or from disreputable garages at risk due to potential problems with bacteria in biofuels now found in all in petrol and diesel.
Latin American leaders have warned of the increasing impact the push for biofuels will affect the world's poorest people.
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