biofuels

For Biofuels are more environmentally friendly as they as neutral in carbon emissions as compared to fossil fuels Farmer incomes are boosted by the pro-biofuels policy Following the oil crisis, biofuel production is considered as a cheaper source of fuel can save fossil fuels?

Against To offset just 11% of US on road fuel consumption, 100% of soybean and corn production would have to be turned into fuel Oil palm plantations are responsible for 87% of the deforestation in Malaysia Growing demand would also increase the pace of destruction of rainforests Crop use cannot be guaranteed without adequate irrigation and rainfall availability of water in many parts of the world When fields are burnt, soil is degraded and causes pollution Carbon is absorbed while palm is grown. However, it is released when the green fuel is burnt neutral in gas emissions (The CO2 they release into the air during combustion is no greater than the volume they remove from the air in the process of growing) Plantations of palm oil are likely to kill off the flagship species of wildlife such as the Asian elephant, the Sumatran tiger and the Orang Utan of Borneo, which are already under habitat loss (Plantation owners regard the Orang Utans as pests they eat young palm oil plants) Uncontrolled logging of the fields leads to the erosion of top soil which is washed by rain into the rivers, causing floods Biofuels can lead to food crisis destruction of forests, wetlands and grasslands (burning of crops originally meant for consumption) Production of biofuel would take 40% of the EUs farmland just to meet its 10% target Soil erosion Rainforest contain innumerable species of vines and other plants/animals (over 400 species) deforestation threatens many species

Oil palm must be processed within 24 hours of harvesting hundred of small mills will have to put up throughout rural Indonesia- mills discharge oil residue and crushed shells untreated into water ways (Pollution) In 2002, Sumatras Siak River was polluted killed thousands of fish Haze Palm oil prices are climbing uninterruptedly since mid 2007 Increasing demand from India and China, poor harvest, soil erosion leads to food price inflation Rising cost has a knock on effect on other staples and livestock since farmers are paying more for animal feed Destroy livelihoods of indigenous people and habitats of creatures such as Orang Utan US farmers are selling 1/5 of their maize to ethanol production biofuel production will increasingly compete with food, raising global crop prices to record highs

More and more land is being turned over to the production of fuel crops less land available for essential food production Additional pollution from forest fires used to clear rainforests