Many Latin American countries have well established bio-fuel industries for the past thirty years. They have been using first generation bio-fuel crops such as Soybeans and Palm Oil. Soybeans are dominant bio-fuel crop produced in these countries. The large-scale Soya production has lead to deforestation in countries such as Brazil, in Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina (Biofuelwatch, 2007). This rings through especially for Argentina, where Soybeans are their most exported product and the most planted crop. Spurred on by the increased demand, the Argentine government has issued a new policy where growers of bio-fuels will receive tax incentives (Valente, 2006).

New studies by NASA have found a direct correlation between the rate in the depletion of the Amazon rain forest and the increasing the world market price of Soya. This is predominately caused by increased demand of bio-fuels (Morton, et al., 2006). Continued deforestation, through continued crop over cultivation will ultimately lead to desertification.

A recently completed Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture estimates that 1.2 billion people live in areas affected by water scarcity, where water resources are not enough to meet growing needs (Human Development Report, 2006). The increased pressure on crop production will put pressure on water reserves. In India almost all its sugar cane crop used for bio-ethanol production is irrigated. Irrigation of Bio-crops threatens water resources in arid counties, which is confounded by that in India; a litre of sugarcane ethanol requires 3500 litres of irrigation water (Fraiture, 2007).

The environmental impacts using first generation bio-fuels are evident in Argentina. Argentina’s well established bio-fuel industry could be used as a model for how bio-fuels would progress globally using first generation bio-fuels.  Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva has supported Africa’s efforts in creating a bio-fuel industry. He has called upon Africa “to join a bio-fuels revolution”. If Africa was to use the South American model utilising first generation bio-fuel crops, it could suffer the same environmental impacts, if not worse. It could lead to increased desertification and water shortages throughout Africa. Ultimately the utilisation of first generation bio-fuels is unsustainable.

Biofuelwatch. (2007, April). Argentinean Soy Biofuels for the UK Fishing Fleet?

Valente, M. (2006, April 20). Argentina Biofuel Project comes with Heavy Environmental Costs. Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Morton, D. C., DeFries, R. S., Shimabukuro, Y. E., Anderson, L. O., Arai, E., del Bon Espirito-Santo, F., et al. (2006). Cropland expansion changes deforestation dynamics in the southern Brazilian Amazon. (R. Schekman, Ed.) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America , 103 (39), 14637-14641.

Fraiture, C. d. (2007, May 10). Biofuel crops could drain developing world dry. Retrieved March 25, 2008 from Science and Development Network: http://www.scidev.net/en/opinions/biofuel-crops-could-drain-developing-world-dry.html

The movie 11th Hour talks about the use of ancient sunlight such as fossil fuels as an unsustainable practice. So in order to become sustainable, we need to switch from reliance on ancient sunlight to current sunlight. Bioproducts are one way of doing this. “Bioproducts are non-food products developed from biomass – biological or renewable material which can come from agricultural, food, forestry, marine and industrial or municipal sources.” Most people are familiar with ethanol fuels, but bioproducts can also include decks made from plant fibres or plastic bottles made from corn oil. Statistics Canada is the first national statistical agency among OECD countries to measure the amount of bioproducts being produced and developed. See (http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/21-004-XIE/21-004-XIE2006003.pdf) to find out more about the bioproducts being made in Canada.

A common concern about bioproducts is that it causes food prices to go up and as a result cause famine in third world countries. But this is a myth. The article at the following link dispels this myth (http://www.greenfuels.org/mythbust.php?id=a71c1033-4328-102b-b3dc-0030488d2a96). The most relevant point is that rising energy prices make have a larger impact on food prices that the rising price of corn. So anything that alleviates energy price increase will have a net positive effect of food prices.

Overall, in my opinion, bioproducts are the way to reduce the reliance of fossil fuels and lead the way to a sustainable future.

Jerry

I just wanted to make a recommendation for a film to watch. The title is “Fueling change” and it will be shown on CNN next week. I saw the preview yesterday and I think it will be worth to watch it. It is about the benefits of biodiesel. You can also see it on Youtube:

Nina

Mc Donalds which is fondly or not so fondly known by most of us, is interestingly on a mission to contribute to sustainable development in (Other than the contribution its making to the growing obese population – E.g: Australia, U.S). It has begun a recycle programme which converts gallons of cooking oil which is left over into biodiesel, thereby saving 1.5 million gallons of gasoline used by its delivery fleet in the U.K.
It is estimated that this effort will prevent the emission of 1,675 tons of carbon per year.
Its not a ground breaking invention but it sure is a good start and given the enormity of the global network of this fast food chain it could prove to be a good contribution to sustainable development if initiated around the globe.

As introduced today by the Canada team, our country is amazingly rich in natural resources. One of its principal is the oil sands and heavy oil resources (petroleum) present in the Province of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
In order to use that resource smartly, Canada has developing a program to encourage the use of Ethanol in the cars in order to protect the environment from gas emission: the Ethanol Expansion Program (EEP). It has been put in place to increase domestic production and use of ethanol, a renewable transportation fuel, and reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This is in the scope of the Canada’s engagement to reduce those GHG emission by 33% a year. The program encourages firms to produce this type of alternate fuel by financially contributing though repayments.
Not bad eh!!
To educate you, here is some interesting info about ethanol that comes from the website below:

Ethanol is blended with gasoline to produce a fuel which has environmental advantages when compared with gasoline, and can be used in gasoline-powered vehicles manufactured since the 1980’s. Most gasoline-powered vehicles can run on a blend consisting of gasoline and up to 10 percent ethanol, known as “E-10″, which is available at some regular service stations across Canada.
Ethanol is a renewable fuel because it is produced from biomass. Although the conversion of the biomass to ethanol and the burning of the ethanol produce emissions, the net effect can be a large reduction in GHG emissions compared with fossil fuels such as gasoline. The reduction depends on the feedstock and the production processes used to make ethanol. E-10 from corn produces about 3 to 4 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline. E-10 made from wood or agricultural cellulosic materials would produce 6 to 8 percent fewer emissions compared with gasoline.

I personally think that this is still a shy initiative but definitely a start to help reducing the bad emissions coming from current gasoline because whether we want it or not, the amount of cars on the road will only increase in the coming years and the problem can only get worse because petroleum is so economically strong and we will never stop exploiting it untill it’s gone.
Also, if we look at the sustainable development definition by Gro Harlem Brundtland, it definitely is in the scope of meeting the needs of the present and helping not to compromise the ability of future generations to meet their economic needs.
If you want more information about alternate fuels, you can consult the following website