Biofuels - sadly not the answer

The problem with being a grassroots organisation is that you are honour-bound to tell the truth - even when popular consensus has decided to disagree with you. So sadly it falls to me to break it to you that biofuels are not going to solve the thorny issue of aviation emissions.

Don't tell Richard Branson that though - he's hellbent on greenwashing his expanding empire by running his planes on biofuel "around the start of the next decade" - and one 747 by the end of 2008.

There are many problems with biofuel. Firstly, biofuels convert food crops - corn, maize, soya - into fuel, which is already affecting the price of staples in the Global South. Secondly, increased demand for agricultural land is leading to deforestation and the destruction of the rainforest. Thirdly, it's debatable whether biofuels reduce emissions or not.

But don't take our word for it. Check out Biofuel Watch for more info.

Image stolen from a fantastic cartoon at Biofuel Watch.

Update: in a totally unplanned coincidence, activists from Food not Fuel today shut down Europe's largest conference on biofuels, pieing the CEO of BP Fuels and making it clear that biofuels will not solve climate change.