This briefing paper reviews evidence of the impacts of the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) on food prices, with a focus on corn and soy, and presents new analysis on the impact of the RFS on U.S. livestock farmers. Studies examining the relationship between food prices and biofuel demand conclude …
Propelled by a unique biodiesel produced from leftover chocolates, this vehicle arrived in Mali's central city Timbuktu on December 22. Nicknamed BioTruck, the vehicle started its journey from the UK on November 26. The BioTruck team claims this is the world's first carbon-negative driving expedition across the Sahara desert. The …
China's Ministry of Finance has drawn up policies to promote the production of non-food sources for biofuels. Under the plan, the ministry will offer subsidies of about 3,000 yuan (us $408) for each hectare of biofuel plantations. Industrial projects producing ethanol from cellulose, sweet sorghum and cassava will receive rewards …
The government of Zimbabwe plans to construct biofuel plants in all its 10 provinces by 2010. Under the plan, massive jatropha plantations will be initiated after January 2008. "The plant grows well in dry areas such as Matabeleland South and Masvingo. This means, it can be grown in other parts …
While cutting down rainforests to grow palm oil for biofuels may constitute "madness" (1 December 2007, p 50), burning other vegetable oils is no more sane, nor less damaging to Indonesia's rainforests. Indonesia is expected to increase its palm oil production by more than half over the next 10 years. …
Common lands are an invisible resource from the point of view of revenue classification. The Rajasthan Land Revenue and Panchayati Raj Acts make no mention of issues related to common lands. However, from one perspective it can be claimed that the state has almost half of its total geographical area …
This paper provides an overview of selected trends and conditions of ecosystem services, in particular, food production and impacts on the environment based on the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. It then describes outcomes for future ecosystem services under alternative development pathways, with a focus on tradeoffs between food security and the …
In the US Midwest Municipality, wastewater is being treated and recycled to save enough potable water to supply 7,000 homes and to manufacture biofuel to run cars.
In this fifth in a series of annual briefings, WRI President Jonathan Lash briefed journalists on seven key environmental issues to watch in 2008: What is likely to happen on the international climate front?; what will Congress do about climate change in 2008?; does the Environmental Protection Agency have a …
The paper begins by laying out the current state of global food insecurity and malnutrition, including magnitude, trends and future projections. The causes, consequences and costs of food insecurity and malnutrition are explored. Malnutrition is clearly a severe impediment to sustainable development and human security as it slows down economic …
This paper begins by laying out the current state of global food insecurity and malnutrition, including magnitude, trends and future projections. It then explores the implications of climate change and rising bioenergy demand for nutrition. It also examines the direct nutrition effects of rising bioenergy demand, as well as its …
The historic development pathway of Europe and the US is clearly not sustainable in developing Asia, with its larger population, constrained by resource limitations, and now facing the global challenges of climate change. So far, however, Asia has not framed an alternative future that simultaneously provides for an escape from …
The uk officially opened its first ethanol plant on November 23. The plant, which actually started functioning in September this year, has the potential to produce 70 million litres of ethanol a year from sugar beet. Initiated as a pilot project of the British Sugar
