Saturday 21 June 2008

EU to look at how biofuels affect food output

BRUSSELS, Belgium: European Union leaders planned Friday to call for study on how Europe's use of more biofuels might affect global food production.
Food crops such as wheat are being increasingly used to make biofuels as Europe and the United States turn to cleaner transport fuel to cut greenhouse gas emissions and their growing dependence on imported oil. But this trend has helped bread and tortilla prices soar around the world.
The EU's 27 nations said in a draft statement they will approve Friday that they needed to assess "the environmental and social consequences of the production and consumption of biofuels both within the Union and outside." The draft was obtained by The Associated Press.
"There is also a need to rapidly assess possible impacts on agricultural products for food and to take action, if necessary, to address shortcomings," they said.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/20/europe/EU-GEN-EU-Biofuel-Boom.php



Some of the early reporting by MSM on biofuels reminded me of Judith Millar of the NYT's reporting of Saddam Hussein's WMD.

It's worth considering that this decision by the EU 'to rapidly assess possible impacts' comes after MONTHS, if not years of studies and deliberations to set EU-wide biofuel targets. It does make one wonder.






http://www.aplaceintheauvergne.blogspot.com/
http://www.ianwalthew.com/

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