Europe’s biofuels policies are making climate change worse, not better, and poor people are paying the price, according to Oxfam, which has called on the EU to rethink its, “dangerous love affair with biofuels.” Land used to power European cars with biofuels for one year could produce enough wheat and maize to feed 127 million people, stated Oxfam, in advance of the EU Energy Ministers informal meeting in Cyprus on Monday.
“There are alternatives . Getting governments to set efficiency standards for car manufacturers, creating better transport systems and promoting electric cars,” said Jim Clarken, Oxfam Ireland’s Chief Executive.
“Europe has helped spark a global rush for biofuels that is forcing poor families from their homes, while big business piles up the profits. The current spike in global food prices is a loud alarm bell that should wake up EU Energy Ministers meeting. It’s this simple: unless EU governments scrap their biofuel mandates, which will double biofuel consumption over the next few years, many more people will be plunged into poverty.”
An Oxfam report, The Hunger Grains, has stated that Europe’s growing appetite for biofuels is pushing up global food prices. Corn and soy prices reached record highs this summer, hitting poor people hardest as they can spend up to 75% of their income on food.
By 2020, EU biofuel mandates alone could push up the price of some foods by as much as 36%. This would have a particularly severe impact on poor people, who are already struggling to afford the food they need to survive.
Since 80% of EU biofuels is biodiesel, made mostly from rapeseed, soy and palm oil, EU mandates have a particular impact on the global price of vegetable oil and oilseeds. This drives up the retail price of cooking oil in importing countries such as Haiti and exporting countries such as Indonesia.
The latter is one of the EU’s main sources of biodiesel.
By 2020, Europe could require a fifth of all the vegetable oil produced globally to meet its demand for fuel.