Bio-fuels

Bio-fuels, produced from plants, are being promoted as a way to combat climate change.  Some bio-fuels, such as those produced from waste, undoubtedly have a role to play, but current EU, US & UK policies are driving a boom in the production of bio-fuels from totally unsustainable sources. This boom is doing immense harm and both the DEFRA Parliamentary Select Committee and the Environment Audit Committee have expressed concern in a recent reports.

Current policies are:

A major driving force behind the boom in bio-fuel production from unsustainable sources is the targets being set by both the EU and by the UK Government, to replace increasing proportions of petrol and diesel with bio-fuel alternatives. There is little restriction on how these targets are met, so the fuels being used are overwhelmingly being produced from crops, either at the expense of food production, or by clearing virgin land.  

Leicester FoE recently promoted a petition on the Government's e-petition website calling for changes in Government policy.  The petition had reached the position of 12th out of over 600 environmental petitions by the time that it closed with 884 signatures.  We have also been lobbying the City Council to urge them to stop using a proportion of bio-fuel in their vehicles, unless they can obtain it from truly sustainable sources.  We have been helped in our campaigning by Abigail, the Leicester FoE orang-utan (see photo above).  A letter from Abigail to the people of Leicester can be viewed here.  Our campaigning on this subject has even gone multiverse, with an item in the October 2007 edition of Discworld Monthly.

In March 2008 we were given an award by the Leicester Environment Partnership for this campaign.  Abigail herself attended the award ceremony to receive the award.

People can help try to prevent a disaster in the making by writing to their MP, asking them to oppose introduction of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation and to their MEP asking them to oppose EU targets, until such time as targets can be met from sources such as waste and algae and until regulations are in place to ensure that all bio-fuels come from such sources.

Recent press releases and other campaign materials can be viewed in the archive.


"Secret report: biofuel caused food crisis" - Guardian

"Wildlife and livelihoods at risk in Kenyan wetlands biofuel project" - Guardian

"Official review admits biofuel role in food crisis" - Guardian

"Rising demands threaten wetlands" - BBC

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