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Cereals or Biofuel? - Global 3000, 21.04.2008

Michael BärApril 22, 2008

Biofuels like ethanol have been praised as the energy of the future, since they're derived from a renewable resource, environmentally-friendly and an affordable alternative to traditional fuels. But can grains be used for food and for making fuel at the same time? More crops going into energy production means less food on people's plates. Already it's becoming clear in Africa, Asia and Latin America that the trend is affecting the world's poorest the hardest. People who have to survive on less than a Dollar a day are feeling the pinch as prices for imported grains rise and they're no longer able to afford basic foodstuffs. Many European consumers are aware of the problem but biofuels remain in demand. The main reason is that biofuels are seen as key to meeting targets for emissions cuts as part of climate agreements.

https://p.dw.com/p/DmIP