Gosh, it's a stirring pot. And the question is, does the totality of the biofuel industry deserve to get tarred by what's looking like a very broad brush?
The responses to such pieces can often be insightful as the story itself...
Newsnight - Unsustainable world? -
Newsnight - Biofuel -
Newsnight - Unsustainable world? -
I noted one biofuel advocate in understandable Mandy Rice Davis mode as saying 'We can't do nothing about climate change' which, some have stated (including Mr. Paxman) without qualification as being 'man-made'. I have some problem with this definition purely as being an easy source of distraction to climate optimists. I prefer instead 'Probably man-worsened negative CC', and accepting that the prudent course in case it's true is to accept some evils as lesser, and cut back more and waste less.
But we need to be confident that what gets done is being done correctly and for the right reasons. Which brings us to competency and trust. From government to the agenda and abilities of some so-called objective media, both seem in short supply.
This was a thought-provoking piece, but unfortunately I, as a member of the consuming, but caring public, remain none the wiser.
It appears that our government, at the behest of the EU, has foisted something on us 'in the name of green' that, on current levels of information and 'expert' contribution, has at the very least a poor enviROI, and hence is serving our kids' futures very poorly.
Just a short time ago I admit to lusting after a SAAB biodiesel as a mitigating 'solution' to my family's needs/desires to travel, and the impact this has on the overall carbon impact we impose. Now it looks more likely to get keyed by an activist as a Hummer.
Currently the only winners still look like being a ratings hungry media. I note the piece that followed the biofuel one. I am no fan of Mr. Brown and his cabal of all the talents in representing this country's lead...er...followship, but it's an unenviable task to try and square economic growth and environmental impacts. Especially with a global population of 6B and growing.
Indy - Biofuel: the burning question - a critical extra point to note when it comes to consumer influence: the lack of clear provenance to help in making a purchase decision.
Gaurdian - Blow to introduction of greener fuel as oil firms face production delay - When they say 'greener' fuel...
BBBC - NEW - A worthy eyebrow-crank at the 'reporting' of the BBC, with a good link to the perils of allowing our lives to be guided by lobbyists and those under their spell (.. on ex's in a nice company condo in Marbella).
2 comments:
Wow this blog is brilliant. The whole biofuels topic is a moral mess and it's quickly becoming a headache for everyone involved.
Great article, I love it!
Thanks for the nice words. I only wish those I had penned on this issue could have matched them for positivity.
I was one of those of a greener hue who saw biofuels initially as a potentially worthy stopgap, if only as a lesser of several emitting evils when it comes to our travel-prone (whether by work demand or social choice) race's aspirations.
However, I quickly came to appreciate that the whole thing was in danger of spinning out of control as various checks and balances were not in place and/or effective. As so often seems to happen in the world of green, the rush to be worthy (and meet a few lucrative targets en route, before a few public service and/or commercial protagonists try and whitewash their motives) can leave some major questions hanging and loopholes open to be abused. As they inevitably will.
Clearing forests and converting food crops was never meant to be part of the package.
That said, as with many other victims of the wildly oscillating eco-pendulum, my heart goes out to those genuine and sincere folk who entered this arena with a view to doing it properly, and who are in real danger of getting badly burned in the fall out.
No matter what its positives, and I am pretty sure they are many, 'brand-bio' has an uphill struggle ahead of it.
Sadly, thanks to near totally inept handling by various national, regional and international leaderships, who have allowed themselves to be swung like a weathervane in a tornado by various interest groups and the media, all manner of worthwhile mitigating alternative energy solutions are either tainted or in danger of being so.
Just think of road pricing. I see a potential need, but the way it was 'sold' to the public it is now a very dubiously healthy duck, and will remain so for years.
I also look at some other initiatives being rushed in to meet a box-ticker's quota, from nuclear to wind-farms, and dread the reaction if these start to unravel aginst the pre-sell when the realities kick in.
Even something as trivial as plastic bags! It will be interesting if, I suspect, depressing to hear what Justin King of Sainsbury's has to say tonight on Newsnight that will doubtless serve his commercial interests as much as inspiring the latest furore did M&S, but also possibly put some of the froth and bother from many quarters in some kind of context. One can but hope.
As the Chinese say, 'we are living in 'intersting' times. Though to be honest I could do with it getting a tad duller for a while.
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