In a last ditch effort to minimize the global dependence on carbon belching fossil fuels and its harmful effects particularly
global warming. A worldwide rush to develop and mass produce ethanol and
biodiesel as clean fuel substitutes has ensued. But just like any other issues that affects the whole planet it raised concerned oppositors and supporters. Among the most ardent supporters of the program are the US, Brazil and Canada known producers of surplus agricultural products. These countries has allocated billions in research and development funds with the aim of eventually replacing a large percentage of their fuel supplies with cleaner burning biofuels produced from corn, wheat, soya beans and sugar. The European Union has launched a similar, equally ambitious program.Oppositors are worried that increased demand for staple food will result into higher food prices making it harder to reach for the world's poor who are already in the verge of starvation.Recently, the head of the International Monetary Fund said biofuels "Posed a real moral problem" and called for a temporary halt. While acknowledging the danger posed by Global Warming, he added that it " has to be balanced with the fact that there are people who are going to starve to death", according to Dominique Strauss Kahn, IMF head.Jean Ziegler of Switzerland, the UN's special rapporteur for the right to food, described the program of converting staple foods to biofuels as "A crime against humanity". Existing technology on the mass production of biofuels are still in infant stage but massive infusion of funds and manpower has accelerated growth of technology and production capacity worldwide. After setting a target date for the reduction of carbon emissions in the US, President George W. Bush stressed the importance of legislation which requires US producers to make available 136 billion liters of biofuels by 2020. According to a study by the US think tank Earth Policy Institute. 81 million tons of grain or 20 percent of US production in 2007 was utilized for the production of ethanol. The institute predicts a higher percentage increase for the current year.A top climate change advisor Bush, Jim Conaughton announced during a meeting of the world's major greenhouse-gas polluters in Paris,said last Thursday that they are expecting a five-fold increase in renewable fuel production. But he stressed that more than fifty percent will be sourced from non food sources such as wood byproducts and switchgrass. Supporters of the fuel
conversion effort led by the EU and Brazil contested the alleged link between food supply and biofuel production calling the allegation as "Highly exaggerated". "Its not happening in Brazil", said Sergio Serra Brazil's ambassador for climate change. Switching to a more diplomatic tone , EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas announced that EU environment experts would report by the end of May on the guarantee that EU's biofuel program will not affect food supply for the poor or the environment . Supporters of the biofuels project cited other reasons for the shortfalls in food. Such as the switch from staples to meat of the burgeoning middle class in China and India. Climate change might be a major factor . Rising temperatures and changes in the pattern of rainfall may be causing water scarcity in key agriculrural areas such as Australia's Wheat Belt.