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13 US newspapers run syndicated column linking biofuels to “chronic hunger, malnutrition and starvation” in poverty-stricken nations

February 20, 2008

Anti-biofuels sentiment continues to gain traction in the wake of two articles published in Science magazine questioning the emissions benefits of ethanol. An editorial by David Ridenour of the National Center for Public Policy Research, linking biofuels to higher retail food prices in the US, and “chronic hunger, malnutrition and starvation” in the poverty-stricken nations of Africa and Southeast Asia, has been widely syndicated in the United States.

The Raleigh News & Observer, the Sacramento Bee, the Fresno Bee, the Billings Gazette, the Washington Tri-City Herald, the Press of Atlantic City, the Bellingham Herald, the Anchorage Daily News, Hilton Head Island Packet, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the Oakland Tribune, the Alameda Times-Star and the Argus have run the story so far.

Reaction to last week’s shocking Science magazine articles continued, as biofuels associations and academics continued to respond to Science magazine articles published last week that condemned US biofuel production efforts.

The complete supporting online material from the Searchinger study, including well-to-wheel emission tables can be downloaded (free) here.

More on the Science magazine controversy from Biofuels Digest:

Editorial in Newsday that calls biofuels supporters “Biofools”
Argonne National Lab says Science article authors’ models did not factor in changing crop yields

Bad, bad biofuels”, more Science magazine reaction, and downloads to complete underlying data

A group of scientists write to US President George Bush and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging them to revise US biofuels policies

Biofuels emissions authors say biofuels OK if made from waste, perennials, or abandoned land

93 percent increase in greenhouse gases? Renewable Fuel Association says fossil fuels created the “carbon debt we can never repay”

Nature Conservancy study says converting land for biofuels increases net carbon usage

Reaction from world press is linked below, most of it strong reading, usually condemning biofuels:

The Register
San Francisco Chronicle
World Changing
Wall Street Journal
Science
The Morning Call
TIME
National Post (Canada)
CTV
The Car Connection
The Nature Conservancy
New York Times
Los Angeles Times
Washington Post
25×25 response

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    • The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said it will need $500 million in extra funding to solve a food crisis in 36 countries, triggered by a 75 percent rise in food prices since 2000. The orga...
  • As Fidel Castro exits, Cuba eyes 3.2 billion gallons per year of sugar cane ethanol
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    • Top Story:Anti-biofuels sentiment continues to gain traction in the wake of two articles published in Science magazine questioning the emissions benefits of ethanol. An editorial by David Ridenour of ...
  • RFA says 2007 “a seminal year”; critics raise the ghost of Malthus, link biofuels to global starvation
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  • How Fidel Castro biofooled the world on biofuels; “global starvation” no longer an issue as Cuba rockets forward with sugarcane ethanol; a Biofuels Digest News analysis
    • "'Change, change, change!"' Fidel Castro wrote, regarding the US Presidential campaign, in a column published this morning in Havana. "I agree, 'change!' but in the United States," he continued. "I en...
  • Head of UN Environmental Program says linking biofuels to higher commodity prices is “only speculation at this stage”
    • Achim Steiner, executive director of the U.N. Environment Program, said that linking biofuel crop demand and higher commodity prices was only speculation at this stage. He said that further study woul...

    Written by Jim Lane · Filed Under Consumers & Fleets, Policy 

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