‘TOTALLY INSANE’ BIO FOOLS

The Daily Telegraph, 25 March 2008
Plans to force motorists to run their cars on “green” petrol could lead to higher levels of greenhouse gases, the [UK] Government’s leading environment scientist warned yesterday.

Professor Robert Watson said it would be “totally insane” to promote the use of biofuels for environmental purposes if it was found that their production contributed to greater carbon emissions through the destruction of forests.

He called on the Government to delay the compulsory use of “green” petrol and diesel until a review has been completed into the sustainability of their production.

From next week, 2.5 per cent of all fuel sold at British pumps must be derived from biofuels, a figure expected to rise to five per cent by 2010.

The move, under the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO), is aimed at reducing the impact of fossil fuels, regarded as a major contributor to climate change.

But scientists fear it could have the opposite effect.

Last month, a study by the Nature Conservancy and the University of Minnesota, published in Science magazine, warned that clearing forests, grassland and peatland to plant crops for biofuels released more carbon than it saved.

Prof Watson, the chief scientist at the Department for the Environment, said yesterday that it was time to heed the concerns.

“It would obviously be totally insane if we had a policy to try and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the use of biofuels that’s actually leading to an increase in the greenhouse gases from biofuels,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

FULL STORY at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/03/25/eabiofuels125.xml