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Biofuels worse than coal and oil

05 January 2008

Biofuels made from corn, sugar cane and soy could have a greater environmental impact than burning fossil fuels such as coal, according to new research.

Writing in Science magazine, Joern Scharlemann and William Laurance, of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, contend that biofuels have higher costs in terms of biodiversity loss and destruction of farmland despite emitting fewer greenhouse gases.

The academics said: "Regardless of how effective sugar cane is for producing ethanol, its benefits quickly diminish if carbon-rich tropical forests are being razed to make the sugar cane fields, thereby causing vast greenhouse-gas emission increases.

In a study of 26 biofuels commissioned by the Swiss government, the authors found that 21 fuels cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than 30 per cent compared with petrol when burned.

But almost half of the biofuels, had greater total environmental impacts than fossil fuels.

The authors said biofuels such as biowaste or recycled cooking oil, as well as ethanol from grass or wood may offer lower environmental costs.

Andy Tait, campaign manager at Greenpeace, said: ¿This study further confirms that there are serious risks associated with first generation biofuels, particularly from corn, soya and palm oil."

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