Biofuels: An Ecological Risk?
"Most of the traits that are touted as great for biofuel crops—no known pests or diseases, rapid growth, high water-use efficiency—are red flags for invasion biologists. We want to start a dialogue and approach the question of biofuels systematically."
—Robert N. Wiedenmann (A researcher at University of Arkansas)
Mr Wiedenmann and his colleagues have published a study warning of the potential for biofuel crops to cause both ecological and economic harm. They are chosen for their ability to grow very quickly but such plants are becoming weeds with the potential to invade neighbouring crop fields (i.e. cotton and soybean).
The study calls for ecological specialists to be included when planning new biofuel projects. You'd think that would already be the case, but obviously not.
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Biofuel expansion threatens to accelerate global warming and push the planet beyond the point where greenhouse gas concentrations and thus the climate can be stabilized. As the Stern Review and IPCC reports make clear, deforestation and agriculture together account for around one third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Already, biofuel production is leading to increased rates of deforestation in many rainforest nations.
Rainforest Rescue - organising protest actions and email protests against rainforest destruction by oil companies. loggers and development projects.
If spare agricultural land was allowed to naturally regenerate in the EU, it could do more for climate change emissions than growing energy crops.
Evidence shows that the amount of CO2 released from soil when natural vegetation is converted to agriculture cancels out any savings from growing biofuel crops. Source
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