Current biofuel requirements unethical, according to study

Guardian : A new study has found that the legal requirement in the UK and Europe to put biofuels in gas and diesel is unethical. An 18-month inquiry by the independent Nuffield Council on Bioethics found that the need to meet rising biofuel targets has led to exploitation of workers, damage to the environment, loss of wildlife, and higher food prices. Food prices have risen because the main biofuels currently used come from food crops such as corn and sugar cane. Also, biofuel targets have driven rapid expansion of biofuels production in parts of the world with lower ethical standards, which has led to the destruction of rainforest and to near-slavery conditions for workers. Several corrective measures have been suggested, including switching from using food crops to agricultural waste, such as straw and fast-growing perennials, and adopting an international certification scheme, like Fairtrade, to guarantee that the production of biofuels is fair, equitable, and sustainable.