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

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

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

25,000 Indian farmers committed suicide in 2007 over debt, grain prices, says World Food Programme, as famine spreads to 36 countries and food-vs-fuel in spotlight

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

In Cuba, the potential to produce between 2 billion and 3.2 billion gallons per year of sugar cane ethanol has been projected by industry analysts. Cuba is transitioning from the 49-year rule by Fidel...

Today in Biofuels: 13 US news papers link biofuels to “chronic hunger, malnutrition and starvation; Cuba turns to biofuels as anti-biofuels Castro exits; ex-Cuban leader led global effort to link biofuels to hunger

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

In Florida, the Renewable Fuel Association said that "naysayers notwithstanding, 2007 was a seminal year for the industry". Bob Dineen, executive director of the RFA, in his State of the Industry addr...

Brazil’s president Lula says global crises show importance of energy investment in developing world

In Brazil, president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, addressing the International Conference on Biofuels, said that the financial, poverty and hunger crises emphasized the importance for wealthy nations t...

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...