THW curb the production of biofuels to address growing food crisis

AFFERMATIFE
1.

Not long ago, corn-based ethanol was touted as a clean, renewable solution to reduce our
dependence on oil. When burned it emits less carbon dioxide, the supply can be
replenished year after year, and the industry supports farmers here in the United States.
The problem is that not only does ethanol cause far more harm to the environment than
initially thought, but subsidies and mandates for biofuels are significant contributors to the
current food crisis.

2.

In 2006, four billion gallons of ethanol were produced using 14 percent of the U.S. corn
crop. Production is expected to increase to 30 percent of the corn crop by 2009 and 40
percent by 2015. As more corn is diverted to fuel, less is available for food. Additionally,
as farmers plant more corn, they plant less of other staple foods such as soybeans and
wheat, driving up those prices as well. The International Food Policy Research Institute
estimates that biofuel mandates and subsidies are responsible for one quarter to one third
of the recent rise in food prices.
Even though nearly a quarter of the U.S. corn crop this year is expected to be used to
make ethanol, this will account for only about 4.5 percent of the U.S. gasoline fuel market.
As demand and mandates for biofuels increase, the effect on food cropsand,
consequently, food pricesis huge. These effects are being seen outside the U.S. as well.
Across Latin America and Asia, land that was previously used to grow food is now being
used to grow fuel.
The production of biofuels is also having devastating environmental effects around the
world. Previously, it was thought that corn-based ethanol provided 20 percent fewer
carbon emissions than gasoline. However, a February 2008 study in the journal Science
which took into account the destruction of forest and prairie land to grow biofuels found
that, in fact, the net effect is a doubling of greenhouse gas emissions.

3.

In places like Brazil, Indonesia and Malaysia, forests are being cleared to grow biofuels.
This has no small effect on global warming: 20 percent of current global carbon emissions
come from deforestation. In addition to these effects, ethanol production uses fossil fuels
and scarce water resources and creates large amounts of hazardous fertilizer run-off.

NEGATIVE
1.

.Availability - It is renewable. Unlike fossil fuels, biofuels can be easily produced from
raw agricultural materials. These facts ensure that the reservoir of fuel will never end, and
that we can keep producing it, like we produce our food. Price - since the reservoir is
virtually unlimited, we can assure that as time goes by, the oil prices will increase duo to
the increase in demand/production ratio, while the biofuels prices will decrease duo to the
progress in agriculture science and techniques. In a few years from now, it is almost
certain that biofuels prices will be much lower than fossil fuels, so the sooner you start
using it, the better. Independence -Biofuelsare easy to produce, and propose a new
prospect to fuel consumers - unlike today's when huge company controls the fuel industry
and supply, making the small consumer a slave to their will, biofuels will allow individuals
and small manufacturer to get into this business and increase the competition. This is

good both to the manufacturers and to the clients. Healthier - biodiesel and ethanol are
much safer than biofuels - they are much better to the environment, and have a great
implication regarding global warming and air quality. If you care about the air that you
and your children are breathing, you must take it under consideration. Better to the
engine. Biofuels are not only healthier to the environment, but also much better to the
engines. Much research done by the automobile industry shows that biodiesel and ethanol
increase the efficiency of the engine and it life span. Have good political
implications. At present, oil producing countries enclose a huge power in their hands,
allowing them to take advantage of their power to harm other countries, and jeopardise
world peace. Crossing to a different fuel source will dramatically reduce the pressure of oil
deficiency, allowing many suppressed countries to flourish.

2. Indonesia has great potential for producing bio-fuels, agricultural land in Indonesia
because it is very broad. Palm plantation area in Indonesia about 7.9 ha and is capable
of producing approximately 6.5 million tons of cpo. Indonesia will earn revenue from
the export of biofuels. With the production of bio-diesel blended fuel, Indonesia will
save money to import diesel
3. Brazil since the 80s has been producing bio fuels without food crisis, because they do
not use the main crops.