Biofools Day of Action

bristol | protests | press release Tuesday April 08, 2008 20:18 by Bristol Rising Tide bristol at risingtide dot org dot uk

The Solution that is even worse than the problem it is meant to solve

On 15th April, the mandatory biofuel blending (RTFO) comes in, meaning that 2.5% of fuel sold at the pump must contain agrofuel. The Government is promoting this as yet another false technical fix for climate change, despite it's Chief Scientist's doubts about their sustainability.

We, Bristol Rising Tide, will be at Tesco, Eastville from 16.30 - 1900 on the 15th to highlight the disastrous impact that the promotion of agrofuels (biofuels) will have on food prices worldwide, and on deforestation in South America and Indonesia. We invite groups and individuals who share our concern to join us.

Tesco, who already sell biofuel at the pump have a vested interest in the technology's' promotion as they own a 25% share of Greenenergy, a biofuel company.

A Bristol Rising Tider says "Not only does Biofuel production causes greater global warming emissions than the equivalent for fossil fuels but for every acre of land used for fuel this is an acre less available for food. We demand that Tesco divest from this company and admit that agrofuels are not the solution.

Burning huge quantities of food in cars is a sure way of making people go hungry. Food prices are rising due to biofuels, causing the poor to suffer more malnutrition. This has been called a “crime against humanity” by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Jean Ziegler

Furthermore, the United Nations has warned that 60 million people may soon become “biofuel refugees” – people forced off their land to make way for huge areas of biofuel crops due to the biofuel boom.

Indigenous organisations of Colombia and Ecuador say "We are rejecting the implementation of the palm oil project on our collective territories. Apart from the way in which this has been imposed on us, with massacres, threats, displacement of communities, bribery of some leaders there are grave environmental, social, economic and cultural impacts."

For further information on the serious problems resulting from the mass production of biofuels visit: www.biofuelwatch.org.uk

See you on the 15th