Error parsing XSLT file: \xslt\FacebookOpenGraph.xslt Roddy Graham's Blog: 15 February 2008
Cookies on Businesscar

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Car website. However, if you would like to, you can change your cookies at any time

BusinessCar magazine website email Awards mobile

The start point for the best source of fleet information

Roddy Graham's Blog: 15 February 2008

Date: 15 February 2008

Roddy Graham is chairman of the ICFM and commercial director of Leasedrive Velo

The first thorough investigation into biofuel carbon budgets has revealed that growing crops for biofuels results in more carbon dioxide being released in to the atmosphere than absorbed!

Seeing sense on biofuels

Biofuels are no longer flavour of the month. The first thorough investigation into biofuel carbon budgets has revealed that growing crops for biofuels results in more carbon dioxide being released in to the atmosphere than absorbed!

The negative balance backs up the view of the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, which stated recently that plans to increase biofuels will do our planet more harm than good and should be scrapped. Interesting that our MPs in Westminster were on the mark this time.

Two separate studies, published in the journal Science last week, show that various biofuel crops grown around the world to provide a green alternative to oil-based fossil fuels release far more carbon dioxide into the air than can be absorbed by growing the plants.

The scientists contend that in some cases it would take several centuries to balance out the carbon debt and the calculation does not take into account the habitat destruction caused by having to cultivate the crops in the first place. The worst case was found to be in Indonesia where it would take 423 years to pay off the carbon debt of converting peat lands for palm plant cultivation. In the Amazon, the scientists determined the deforestation for soybean crop growing would require 319 years to cover carbon debt payments.

Globally, conversions of land for biofuel production result in between 17 and 420 times more carbon dioxide released in to the atmosphere than the annual savings from replacing fossil fuels. Forest, grass and peat lands store a surprising amount of carbon so converting them appears to be maybe the world's biggest environmental sleight of hand. Even the EU is apparently now having second thoughts about getting 10% of transport fuel from crops by 2020.

All the above demonstrates that besides global carbon trading, we need a scientifically-backed carbon certification and sustainability standard, which can be applied in managing our global fuel requirements.

Scientific research indicates biofuels are not the answer to all our problems, however attractive they may have seemed at the outset. Besides removing forest, grass and peat lands and generating higher carbon dioxide emissions, biofuel production is also resulting in higher food prices, which is driving up global poverty.

Never has there been a more urgent need for a global strategy on the environment.



Share


Subscribe