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London Protesters target UK’s largest biofuel supplier, Greenergy

Andrew Boswell | 01.02.2008 18:36 | Bio-technology | Climate Chaos | Ecology | London | World

A colourful banner protest was held outside the office of Greenergy International, the UK’s largest biofuel supplier, on Wednesday, 30th January, between 12.30 and 2.30 pm.
This was part of a National Week of Action on Agrofuels in which different groups and organisations across the UK are organising protests against the deforestation, high food prices, human rights abuses and faster global warming caused by biofuels from large-scale monocultures. Over 40 people were present.

Protestors opposite Greenergy London offices
Protestors opposite Greenergy London offices

Agrofuels are a scam
Agrofuels are a scam

How many more trees will be chainsawed?
How many more trees will be chainsawed?

Another tree felled
Another tree felled

(Fossil or agro-bio) Fuel for Western cars kills
(Fossil or agro-bio) Fuel for Western cars kills

Chainsaw massacre
Chainsaw massacre

Agrofuels are a climate justice issue
Agrofuels are a climate justice issue

Biodiesel for Mr Branson's train?
Biodiesel for Mr Branson's train?

Biofuelwatch's Deepak Rughani is interviewed
Biofuelwatch's Deepak Rughani is interviewed


Greenergy International is an oil company with large biofuel interests, in partnership with Tesco and Cargill (see ‘Links to Tesco’, below). They supply ethanol from Brazilian sugar cane as well as refining biodiesel from soya, palm oil and rapeseed oil.

Deepak Rughani of Biofuelwatch, one of the organisers of this protest, says: “Across the global South, tens of millions of hectares are being converted to vast monocultures to grow fuel for our cars. This is a disaster for communities, for forests and for the global climate. “

Over 200 organisations from North and South have called for an EU moratorium on agrofuels from large-scale monocultures, and there have been many similar calls, including from a large number of civil society organisations in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Right of Food has described current biofuel production ‘a crime against humanity’ and demands a 5 year moratorium. The UK Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee also supports a moratorium on biofuel targets and warns that current ‘sustainability standards’ will not prevent serious negative impacts from biofuels.

In the UK, mandatory blending of petrol and diesel with biofuels will be introduced on 15th April, under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation. Almuth Ernsting from Biofuelwatch states: “From April, people will have no choice but to contribute to the destruction of forests, the eviction of small farmers and rising food prices which will mean more hunger. More and more people now realise the need for a strong movement to stop the destruction caused by the biofuel industry and the legislation which encourages it.”

Andrew Boswell, said "Last week a committee of MPs published a report 'Are Biofuels Sustainable?'. Their answer was a resounding ‘No!’. Ruth Kelly, Transport Minister would like this report to quietly disappear. It won’t, and it is now time that Ruth Kelly go to the House of Commons and respond to the report - not hide away and hope the report will be forgotten. Her only credible response is to drop the UK biofuel / biofool targets immediately."

Andrew Boswell
- e-mail: andrewboswell@fastmail.co.uk
- Homepage: http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/actionsjan08cov.php

Comments

Hide the following 2 comments

Is that Bob Geldof in the cowboy hat?

01.02.2008 19:16

Is that Bob Geldof pictured in the cowboy hat? It certainly looks very much like him. If it is then it is good that celebrities are getting involved in these campaigns. Geldof has for many years been a supportter of worthy causes ever since he organised Live Aid in 1985.

activist


Need for care

02.02.2008 11:36

I think it is necessary to be really careful when exposing the real and significant dangers of imported commercial agrofuels that the baby is not thrown out with the bathwater. Contary to what is presented on some of the placards at that demo, biofuels are not inherently evil and to suggest otherwise only helps the petroleum industry.

Biofuels come in many forms are in fact on of the major energy sources for people on this planet. From firewood to cow dung, biofuels are an everyday reality for people all over the world and unlikely fossil fuels, biofuels can be sustainably managed as a renewable energy resource.

The problem is the massive commerical interest and distorted governement policies that are driving forward the new agrofuel industries which destroy ecosystems or replace food crops for quick turn around fast profit biofuel crops exported to the rich industrialised countries of the world keen to green wash their filthy and unsustainable car cultures.

However, it is entirely possible to grow biofuels in a sustainable way and we should certainly not be discouraging local copice woodland schemes and the like. Ultimately biofuels are pretty much one of the the only long term sustainable fuel on offer so lets not demonise it in the eyes of the public.

olive


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