U.N. food expert seeks moratorium on biofuels (Reuters)

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.N. food expert seeks moratorium on biofuels
Fri Oct 26, 2007 12:44pm EDT

By Claudia Parsons

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations Special
Rapporteur on the right to food called on Friday for a
five-year moratorium on biofuels, saying it was a "crime
against humanity" to convert food crops to fuel.

Biofuels are driving up food prices at a time when there
are 854 million hungry people in the world and every five
seconds a child under 10 dies from hunger or disease
related to malnutrition, Jean Ziegler said.

Fears over climate change have boosted the demand for
alternative fuels, but the rise of biofuel has been
criticized by some who say it squeezes land needed for
food.

-snip-

Ziegler, an independent expert who reports to the U.N.
Commission on Human Rights, conceded his call was a tall
order. But he said that since the main countries leading
the biofuels revolution -- the United States and Brazil --
were democracies, public opinion could lead to a change
in policy.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN2635354120071026

[acmavm]

1. What's wrong with the UN? Don't they know Americans have

places to go, people to see? Screw the starving of the world. WE NEED FUEL FOR OUR CARS DAMMIT!

:sarcasm:

[razzzleberry]

2. how do you stop people from burning corn in stoves ...

when heating with oil costs twice as much

[orleans]

3. hey razzzleberry--welcome to du. n/t

[orleans]

4. Ziegler has a very good point here. n/t

[Nederland]

5. Of course...

...there are always those that will say that the world is overpopulated and this is a good thing. :eyes: