Land Use Contributing to Food Crisis
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/04/22/food.biofuels/index.html
The Executive Director of the UN World Food Program, Josette Sheeran, is warning that the allocation of land use to produce biofuels is contributing the the problem of world hunger. Land capable of food production is instead being used for biofuel production leading to rising food prices, violence, and an increase in world hunger particularly in poorer regions. Critics of biofuel production has also said that people in Asia, Africa, and South America are being displaced from their lands to make room for biofuel growth areas. Sheeran has called the problem of rising world hunger "a tsunami that respects no borders." This problem is not just affecting isolated places but entire regions typically located in the poorest parts of the world. This is an interesting problem because it is causing us to weigh the option of a cleaner fuel source against food price increases and world hunger. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said "We must also do more to explore the links between climate change and food and particularly their impact on the livelihoods and vulnerabilities of the very poorest who are likely to be most affected by climate change." Brown said the EU would change biofuel target levels if it is shown the land use has a significant affect on prices and hunger. This all brings up the crisis of place that exists for the poor. Climate change will cause desertification and other problems in these areas that will lead to displacement and hunger... but one of the solutions to climate change will also lead to displacement and hunger in these areas because of the allocation of land use.
Chris, While some of the arguments against biofuels are valid, the notion that cleaner fuel is directly responsible for world hunger is wrong. While corn based ethanol production certainly has displaced food production, the hunger problems that arise are a result of poor farming practices and land management, underdeveloped technology, and fears over genetically modified organisms. Many of the problems with biofuels could be alleviated with development of GMOs that are more energy efficient, that require less land to grow, and that can be grown in more places. Particularly in Europe there are generally unfounded fears and misconceptions about GMOs, which in turn has led to a lack of production of GMOs and led to a shortage of useable cropland. Although the technology is not quite there yet, GMOs have the potential to be grown in half the area, and yield twice as much energy. With a better agricultural land use system (where corn is not quite as subsidized) and active development and use of GMOs throughout the world, I think there is potential for ethanol to replace "dirty" energy while at the same time allowing for greater food production and fighting global hunger.
Chris, While some of the arguments against biofuels are valid, the notion that cleaner fuel is directly responsible for world hunger is wrong. While corn based ethanol production certainly has displaced food production, the hunger problems that arise are a result of poor farming practices and land management, underdeveloped technology, and fears over genetically modified organisms. Many of the problems with biofuels could be alleviated with development of GMOs that are more energy efficient, that require less land to grow, and that can be grown in more places. Particularly in Europe there are generally unfounded fears and misconceptions about GMOs, which in turn has led to a lack of production of GMOs and led to a shortage of useable cropland. Although the technology is not quite there yet, GMOs have the potential to be grown in half the area, and yield twice as much energy. With a better agricultural land use system (where corn is not quite as subsidized) and active development and use of GMOs throughout the world, I think there is potential for ethanol to replace "dirty" energy while at the same time allowing for greater food production and fighting global hunger.