New reports, published in Science, suggests that when the full costs of producing biofuels crops are taken into account they could be more environmentally harmful than good.
Taking a comprehensive account of the amount of land being dedicated to biofuel crop cultivation, the reports reaches the conclusion that irrespective of the type of land being cleared, the quantity of greenhouse gases emitted negates their efficacy.
Additionally, the reports suggest, the land cultivation kills the planet’s ability to act as a natural sponge to absorb carbon emissions.
Speaking to The New York Times, one of the reports’ authors, Princeton University environment and economics researcher Timothy Searchinger said: "When you take this into account, most of the biofuel that people are using or planning to use would probably increase greenhouse gasses substantially. Previously there's been an accounting error: land use change has been left out of prior analysis."
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Date Published: February 08, 2008
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