Stopping the use of biofuels would alleviate the food crisis – EcoPortal.net

Governments should put a moratorium on the use of biofuels and lift the ban on genetically modified crops, urged a group of environmental activists, as a growing global food crisis threatens to engulf developing countries.

Ending the EU’s biofuel requirement would free up about a fifth of Ukraine’s potential wheat exports, and even more of its corn exports, enough to make a noticeable difference to food supplies, according to an analysis by the research group. RePlanet campaign.

RePlanet urges EU to abandon organic targets and governments to lift bans on GM crops

In 2020, around 3.3 million tonnes of wheat were used as a feedstock for EU biofuels, and Ukraine’s wheat exports in 2020 totaled around 16.4 million tonnes. Around 6.5 million tonnes of maize were also used for EU biofuels, compared to around 24 million tonnes exported from Ukraine in the same year.

Ukraine’s supplies of wheat and corn for export are already seriously threatened by the Russian invasion, with shipments disrupted and crops damaged by the war. Food prices are rising across the world, with the war in Ukraine a key factor.

This makes it imperative that governments stop requiring the use of biofuels, according to RePlanet, in a report titled Shut Down Putin . Mark Lynas, a veteran environmental activist and co-founder of RePlanet, said: “Europe can and must defeat Putin’s global food blackmail. Just as Europe must stop buying fossil fuels from the Kremlin to save energy, we must also do our part to help fight hunger in the global south by saving food at home.”

The EU, the US and the UK are among the countries that require the use of biofuels, usually blended with gasoline or diesel, for road vehicles.

Food converted into biofuels
But much of the biofuel used is derived from food crops, including wheat, corn and edible oils. The World Food Program has warned that rising prices for these staple foods, fueled by a combination of the Covid pandemic, climate collapse and the war in Ukraine, is fueling a food crisis across the world.

In the UK, the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation requires around 10% of fuel supplied by fossil fuel companies to be “sustainable”, which actually means biofuels. However, the amount that can come from food crops is limited to 4% and will drop further to 2% in 2032.

A UK government spokesperson said: “Biofuels and other renewable fuels will continue to play an important role in helping to decarbonise transport and meet our needs. climate goals. However, to help address the global food price crisis, we continue to promote waste-derived biofuels and are reducing the percentage of crop-based biofuels that count towards supplier targets.”

RePlanet found that while the original rationale for biofuels was a low carbon alternative to fossil fuels, in fact, due to the impact on food, fertilizers and energy used to produce grains and oils and land converted to agriculture to produce biofuels, there are few carbon savings compared to fossil fuels.

RePlanet also argues that consumers in rich countries should eat less meat to free up grains into the diets of people around the world, and that global bans, particularly in the EU, on genetically modified crops should be maintained to enable higher yields.

In another recommendation that is likely to be controversial, the report suggests that the EU’s organic targets should also be abandoned in favor of conventional, intensive farming techniques to allow for higher productivity.

Europe has a humanitarian commitment
Karolina Lisslö Gylfe, Secretary General of RePlanet, said: “If Europe does not pragmatically pursue evidence-based solutions, the outcome will be worse for the world’s poor, for the climate and for nature conservation. It will also make it more difficult to confront Putin’s aggression in Ukraine. Europe can and must do better.”

G7 leaders briefly discussed biofuels at their meeting in Schloss Elmau, Germany, last month. The UK has put forward a proposal for the world’s largest economies to review their use of biofuels and their role in decarbonisation, given food security concerns.

But the leaders’ final communiqué contained only the resolution: “We will remain mindful of our long-term drive towards alternative transportation fuels, our goals on climate, biodiversity and food security.”

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