Blockade of the World Biofuels Market

[vsssarma]

Biofuels appear to be OK if the land is arid desert land that doesn't grow any thing else. If food prices can go up, farmer will choose to grow food compared to biofuels. I think as the crude oil price goes up, tendency for biofuel grows resulting in lower and lower food production resulting in higher and higher prices. Best thing for mankind is to limit population and consumption. If USA can increase fuel prices to UK level, it will help the rest of the world and also USA.

[vsssarma]

For a long time, human beings have been living beyond means. Population boom is a hazard for environment. Oil consumption in USA is another big threat for mankind. USA has 5% of the world's population, 2.5% of the world's oil reserves but has 25% of the world's oil consumption. The price they charge at the pump is much lower than other developed countries. If population and US Oil consumption can be controlled, many problems will disappear. On Biofuels, farmer decides what to do with his land.

[verschon]

hey nadman34... how come you signed up to youtube on 19 march? come online just to specifically comment on this video? makes me think you might be something to do with the biofuel industry?! you haven't even viewed any videos on youtube...

[stopworldbiofuelsmar]

Nadman

Your making some dangerous suggestions there. What do you suggest to do about growing world population? The only acceptable to me seems to be a strong redistribution of wealth don't you agree? And if such productivity gains can be made (without negative impacts) why are ever more lands converted to monoculture plantations?

[Nadman34]

Fact 3 - Much more can be produced from existing land hence the 43% growth in wheat production with only 6% increased land use (last 8 yrs). Your argument is we have reached the biophysical limits of the planet but the same argument was used by Thomas Malthus 200 years ago & technology allows to meet some future demand

Fact 4 -The real problem is how to stop population growing to 9bn & how to try and keep the Chinese/Indians from buying 700m cars and eating meat, 1 kg steak = 16kg wheat

[imcgent]

hey Nadman, you try to have a serious debate. But some questions here:

How would you define 'sustainable' agrofuel production?

Has this 43% growth in wheat production anything to do with genetically modified organisms or with really heavy pesticides that are endangering biodiversity in a REALLY dangerous way?

[imcgent]

Well, eurm, oil industry doesn't hate biofuels at all, because she has already really large financial interests in it. Agrofuels as we know it are currently destroying vast areas of land, and as they need monoculture techniques, that require a lot of capital and genetic engineering, it is destroying the lives of millions of poor peasants, chasing them away from their habitats. And it would already be AMAZING how much energy we can save if we would really try to consume more local produced goods.

[Nadman34]

Fact 1 - 3 out of the big 7 oil companies (10% of the oil industry) have very small interests in the biofuels industry. 90% of the oil inudstry is national oil companies.

Fact 2 - Logging and Agriculture is destroying areas of land not biofuels. Biofuels has the potential to destroy lands if it is not done sustainably as it is a tiny subset of the agro industry.

[Nadman34]

Interesting point but what is the solution you propose? Biofuels are hated by the oil industry and they reduce transport emissions now whilst new solutions come online or do we just stop using engines tomorrow?

Yes we should stop consuming and become more efficient but that is not enough. If we simply stop driving tomorrow that means within a week you would have no food, clothing and certainly no video cameras...energy addiction already exists and biofuels help us towards sustainable energy.

[untilallarefree]

Top quality video, respect to all involved!