Friends of the Earth U.S. works in coalition with our sister organizations around the world to prevent adverse impacts from biofuels. Below are some highlights of the different groups and initiatives from Friends of the Earth International and our international partners on biofuels.
*Note: In many international circles, biofuels produced in an industrial, large-scale manner are called "agrofuels".
Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) believes that agrofuels are a false solution to the current energy and climate crisis and campaigns against their development, production and trade.
Agrofuels (often called biofuels) are liquid fuels, notably biodiesel and bioethanol. So-called first generation agrofuels are derived from food crops such as cereals, soybean, rapeseed oil, sugar cane and palm oil. Second generation, which are currently under development, are aimed at using agricultural residues, trees (willow, eucalyptus) and straw, and may involve industrial technologies such as genetically modified microorganisms, crops and trees. Both generations set out to provide fuel on an industrial and large scale for electricity production and transportation.
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Below are a few reports that Friends of the Earth International has published on the impacts of biofuels in different regions around the world.
September 2008
A commentary on the sustainability claims of Malaysia's palm oil lobby, with a special focus on the state of Sarawak
October 2008
Download the executive summary [PDF]
Download the full report [PDF]
Policy Brief on the Inter-American Development Bank Agrofuels Strategy
Friends of the Earth U.S., Friends of the Earth Brazil, Friends of the Earth Haiti
April 2008
Download PDF
Friends of the Earth’s international network includes many groups that are working to combat the adverse impacts of biofuels. Below are a few links that highlight our partner’s biofuels work
-Friends of the Earth U.K.’s webpage on biofuels
-Friends of the Earth Indonesia’s webpage on palm plantations and deforestation
-Friends of the Earth Brazil’s webpage on biodiversity and plantations (in Portuguese)
