We probably ought to phase subsidies to petroluem produces are well ;-)
Keith Addison wrote: >http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e780d216-5fd5-11dc-b0fe-0000779fd2ac.html >FT.com / World - > >OECD warns against biofuels subsidies > >By Andrew Bounds in Brussels > >Published: September 10 2007 22:28 | Last updated: September 10 2007 22:28 > >Governments need to scrap subsidies for biofuels, as the current rush >to support alternative energy sources will lead to surging food >prices and the potential destruction of natural habitats, the >Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development will warn on >Tuesday. > >The OECD will say in a report to be discussed by ministers on Tuesday >that politicians are rigging the market in favour of an untried >technology that will have only limited impact on climate change. > >"The current push to expand the use of biofuels is creating >unsustainable tensions that will disrupt markets without generating >significant environmental benefits," say the authors of the study, a >copy of which has been obtained by the Financial Times. > >The survey says biofuels would cut energy-related emissions by 3 per >cent at most. This benefit would come at a huge cost, which would >swiftly make them unpopular among taxpayers. > >The study estimates the US alone spends $7bn (?5bn) a year helping >make ethanol, with each tonne of carbon dioxide avoided costing more >than $500. In the EU, it can be almost 10 times that. > >It says biofuels could lead to some damage to the environment. "As >long as environmental values are not adequately priced in the market, >there will be powerful incentives to replace natural eco-systems such >as forests, wetlands and pasture with dedicated bio-energy crops," it >says. > >The report recommends governments phase out biofuel subsidies, using >"technology-neutral" carbon taxes instead to allow the market to find >the most efficient ways of reducing greenhouse gases. > >"Such policies will more effectively stimulate regulatory and market >incentives for efficient technologies," it said. > >The study, prepared for the OECD's round table on sustainable >development, will be discussed in Paris on Tuesday and on Wednesday >by ministers and representatives of a dozen governments, including >the US. Also attending will be Ángel Gurría, the OECD >secretary-general, scientists, business representatives and >non-governmental organisations. > >The survey puts a question mark over the European Union's plan to >derive 10 per cent of transport fuel from plants by 2020. It says >money saved from phasing out subsidies should fund research into >so-called second-generation fuels, which are being developed to use >waste products and so emit less CO2 when they are made. > >Today, only three kinds of biofuels are preferable to oil, the study >says: Brazilian sugar, which converts easily to ethanol, the >by-products of paper-making, and used vegetable oil. > >The EU has said only biofuels that meet as yet undefined standards >for sustainability will count towards its target to get a tenth of >transport fuel from plants by 2020. Tariff discrimination on >sustainability grounds is illegal under World Trade Organisation >rules and the authors call for talks at the WTO to set up a global >certification scheme. > >Adrian Bebb, biofuels campaigner with Friends of the Earth said: "The >OECD is right to warn against throwing ourselves headfirst down the >agrofuels path." > >Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007 > > >_______________________________________________ >Biofuel mailing list >Biofuel@sustainablelists.org >http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel > >Biofuel at Journey to Forever: >http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > >Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): >http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ > > _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
