EU plans could be disastrous for poor people, warns Oxfam

Is this another example of the rich world trying to solve its energy problems at the expense of the hungry of the third world?

Why is it that the only exports we allow the developing nations, much needed exports, are the ones that impoverish even further the poor in those countries?

How about more rich world investment in those sectors where the locals benefit, where they can export and where their total well being increases!

Now that would be a novel idea.

Onésimo Alvarez-Moro

See article:
EU plans to increase the use of biofuels could spell disaster for some of the world's poorest people warns international agency, Oxfam in a new briefing published today.

EU proposals will make it mandatory by 2020 for ten per cent of all member states' transport fuels to come from biofuels. In order to meet the substantial increase in demand, the EU will have to import biofuels made from crops like sugar cane and palm oil from developing countries. But the rush by big companies and governments in countries such as Indonesia, Colombia, Brazil, Tanzania and Malaysia to win a slice of the 'EU biofuel pie' threatens to force poor people from their land, destroy their livelihoods, lead to the exploitation of workers and hurt the availability and affordability of food.

"In the scramble to supply the EU and the rest of the world with biofuels, poor people are getting trampled. The EU proposals as they stand will exacerbate the problem. It is unacceptable that poor people in developing countries should bear the cost of questionable attempts to cut emissions in Europe," said Robert Bailey from Oxfam.

Biofuels may offer the potential to reduce poverty by increasing jobs and markets for small farmers, and by providing cheap renewable energy for local use, but the huge plantations emerging to supply the EU pose more threats than opportunities for poor people. The problem will only get worse as the scramble to supply intensifies unless the EU introduces safeguards to protect land rights, livelihoods, workers rights and food security.

See full Press Release.